FIC: Aftermaths, Part 84

[geri_chan]

Title: Aftermaths, Part 84
Rating: NC-17 overall, but most chapters are closer to PG-13
Pairing: Snape/Lupin, Theodore/Blaise, and a few other minor pairings
Word count: ~10,125
Warning: AU; written pre-HBP
Author's notes: {} Indicates character's unspoken thoughts
Disclaimer: No money is being made off this story; consider it a little wish fulfillment on my part.
Sequel to: Always, Summer Vacation, For Old Time's Sake, Three's a Crowd, Return of the Raven, Phoenix Reborn, Phoenix Rising
Summary: Aric learns more about his lycanthropy, and also about Takeshi's family.

Part 83 (Previous chapters can be found under the aftermaths tag.)

***

Aric woke in time for lunch, which was more soup. He felt a little stronger, and was able to feed himself this time, but Takeshi sat beside his bed and watched him as he ate ravenously. "You seem to be feeling better," the mediwizard observed.

"I'm starving," Aric said. "Even though I haven't been doing anything but lie in bed all day."

"Your body is working hard to heal itself," Takeshi explained. "That uses up energy, which in turn requires nourishment."

Soon Aric pushed aside the empty bowl and leaned back in bed with a sigh of satisfaction. "Can you stay with me awhile?" he asked, wondering if he should have eaten slower, if only to keep the mediwizard by his side.

"Of course," Takeshi replied with a smile. "All my other duties have been taken care of for the moment, barring any sudden emergencies."

"So tell me about yourself," Aric said. "You're part crane? Is that how you were able to use wandless magic that night at the clinic, when you sent me flying into the wall?"

"Sorry," Takeshi said with a sheepish smile. "I got a little carried away."

"It's okay, I deserved it," Aric assured him. "But I've never seen anyone cast a spell like that without a wand before."

"It's partly my crane blood," Takeshi said. "The crane, kitsune, tengu, and tanuki people have intrinsic magical powers which do not require the use of a wand."

"But Master Satoshi uses a wand," Aric pointed out.

"It's all for show," Takeshi said with an amused smile. "The tanuki are great mimics; this is all kind of an elaborate game to him. Satoshi is trying to fit in, so he wears Western clothing, speaks with a British accent, and carries a wand, but he doesn't really need it. He can work his magic without it."

"Oh," Aric said. "I guess I should have realized that, after the research we did on Japanese shapeshifters for Interspecies Relations."

"And even human wizards do not always require a wand," Takeshi said. "Strange things often happen around young wizard children, an unconscious manifestation of their magic. Which is why the parents of Muggle-born wizards are not really surprised when the letter from Hogwarts arrives, because they already know that their children are not normal humans. Human wizards also have some intrinsic magic, Aric, although it's weaker than that of the shapeshifters. The wand merely acts as focus to channel and intensify their power. And the focus object doesn't really have to be a wand; that's merely the traditional device used by Western wizards. In the East, the focus object might be a staff; a string of rosary beads; a fuda, or spell scroll; or even something intangible, like a chant."

"You mean, like an incantation?"

Takeshi nodded. "My powers do not just come from my mother's side of the family. My father comes from a long line of Onmyouji--a word that might translate in English as shaman, soothsayer, or sorcerer. It was the duty of the Onmyouji to protect and serve the Emperor and the realm in ancient Japan. It's a bit difficult to explain to someone not familiar with the concept, but in short, they used the power of Yin and Yang, and the power of the five elements--wood, fire, metal, water, and earth--to predict the future and and fight evil spirits. An Onmyouji channels his power through chants and incantations, like the one I used to repel you in the clinic. He can also focus his power through a physical object, and make a spell come to life, like so."

He pulled a scissors and a piece of paper out of his pocket, and cut out a crude paper doll--a vague outline of head, arms, and a body which flared out at the bottom, giving the impression of a dress or skirt. Then, holding his index and middle fingers together, he brushed them across the doll as he whispered an incantation. Suddenly the doll shimmered and expanded, and standing before them was a beautiful Japanese girl clad in long, flowing robes of brightly-colored silk.

"Wow," Aric gasped in awe.

Takeshi frowned as the doll-girl smiled at Aric coyly. He made a brief gesture with his hand, and the girl vanished as the paper doll fluttered down to the floor. "Well, in any case, you can see how that works. That's a type of advanced illusion. I could also inscribe a protective charm onto a scroll and hang it up on the wall to shield the room from magical attacks."

"Like a warding spell," Aric said.

Takeshi nodded. "Or I could also write an attack spell or a binding spell on a piece of paper, and hurl it at an opponent during a fight."

"Are you an Onmyouji, then?" Aric asked.

"Not really," Takeshi replied. "Although my father has trained me in some of the arts of Onmyoudo, the type of magic that the Onmyouji practice. I have been trained in a mixture of Western, Eastern, and non-human magic."

Aric suddenly remembered something Takeshi had mentioned yesterday about dreaming that he was a wolf. "You said that the Onmyouji are soothsayers, and you said that I appeared to you as a wolf in your dreams. Do you have the Sight? Is all that nonsense Professor Trelawney talks about in class really true?"

"I've never shown any sign of having the Sight before," Takeshi said with a smile. "And my father does not have much talent for Divination, although he is quite skilled at casting protective charms. But some of his ancestors were soothsayers, and one of my mother's ancestors also had the Sight, so it's possible that I might have a very weak and latent form of that Gift. Occasionally people in my family who do not appear to have the Sight can have a vision of a person or event that is of great importance to them." He said tenderly, "As I did of you, my wolf. Although, as is often the case with visions, I didn't understand what it meant at the time. My people--that is, my mother's people, the crane folk--mate for life. I knew that the wolf I saw in my dreams was my soulmate, but I didn't realize at first that it was you. And then once I knew it was you, I didn't understand why you were a wolf. But now it all makes sense."

"Then...that means that I was destined to become a werewolf?" Aric asked, stunned and shaken by that revelation. "You saw in advance what would happen, even if you didn't understand what it meant at the time."

Takeshi shook his head. "No, Divination only shows us the possibilities that are open to us. It was not necessarily your destiny to become a wolf, but perhaps it was your destiny to be faced with the choice of whether or not to become a werewolf. There are always choices, Aric, even if the alternative is so dreadful that it doesn't seem like a choice. You had to choose between life as a werewolf or death, and you chose life, for which I will be eternally grateful." His voice trembled slightly, and he leaned down and kissed Aric with a tenderness and reverence that left him breathless. When Takeshi pulled back and Aric was able to see his eyes, he saw a look of joy and love and awe in them, as if the sight of Aric was some kind of miracle to him. While Aric found it miraculous that he was able to evoke such a response from someone as incredible as Takeshi. He was descended from a creature of myth, with beauty and power that were more than human, and aside from that, he was intelligent, kind, and generous. Surely he could have his pick of lovers, male or female. While Aric was suddenly painfully aware that he had, up until now, been nothing more than just another small-minded, spoiled pureblood heir. There was no real reason why Takeshi should love him, and yet he did.

And then the rest of what Takeshi had said sunk in. "Your people mate for life?"

"Yes," Takeshi replied softly. "Which explains my reaction to you at the clinic," he added, a faint blush staining his cheeks. "Cranes look graceful and elegant, but they are still animals, and an animal's instincts are always strong. Particularly the mating instinct." His blush grew rosier. "The human part of me was unwilling to share you with another consort, but the crane part of me felt a primal urge to...um...well...be joined with its mate."

By now, Aric was blushing, too. "I see. That was why you had to throw me across the room, before...er...the crane part of you overwhelmed the human part. Not to mention that I was being a real git. You told me 'no' and I didn't listen. And I had no right to expect you to sleep with me when I had already agreed to the betrothal. I was too drunk to be thinking clearly. I'm sorry."

"I forgive you, my wolf," Takeshi said, kissing him gently.

"But if your people mate for life...what would have happened to you if I had married Miranda?" Aric asked, disturbed by the thought and not sure that he really wanted to know the answer. From the way Takeshi was hesitating, it was probably nothing good. He was tempted to let the matter drop, but he needed to know how badly he had almost hurt his friend...no, his mate. "Please tell me," he insisted.

"I told you that the mages in my homeland had often made arranged marriages in the past, for the sake of political alliances," Takeshi replied, his expression grave. "But that was not true of the crane people. If they had already formed a bond with a soulmate, whether or not that bond was formalized by marriage, and were forced to wed another, either by their clan for political reasons, or by a human sorcerer who had kidnapped one of our maidens, they would usually pine away and die of grief. Or commit suicide--often a double suicide with their true love. A few would go mad and kill their unwanted spouses and then themselves." Aric stared at him with a look of horror, and Takeshi said, "But don't worry, Aric. I would not have killed myself or died of grief. I am stronger than that, and besides, it would be selfish, because I would be hurting the people who love me--my family and friends, and of course, you." He smiled sadly. "If we had parted, I would have gone on with my life, and eventually I would probably have taken other lovers. But I would never have been able to completely give my heart to someone else, because part of it would always have remained with you."

"Wh-why didn't you tell me this?" Aric whispered.

"Because I love you, Aric," Takeshi said tenderly. "And I only wanted you to be with me if that was what you truly wanted, not out of guilt or a sense of obligation."

If Aric had any lingering doubts about whether he'd made the right choice, that completely banished them. As weak as he was, he wrapped his arms around Takeshi and held him tightly. "I love you, Takeshi," he whispered fiercely. "I'll never regret the choice that I've made." They kissed, and Aric felt his body once again responding to the presence of his mate, and he was wondering if he was strong enough to actually do something about it this time, when the door swung open and Master Diggory walked in.

"Oops, am I interrupting something?" the werewolf asked with a sly grin.

"Oh no, of course not," Takeshi said, hastily disentangling himself from Aric's embrace. "Actually, I should be getting back to work. I'll check on you later, Aric." And the red-faced mediwizard grabbed Aric's empty soup bowl and fled the room.

"You have lousy timing," Aric said, glaring at his teacher.

"That's 'You have lousy timing, pack leader,'" Diggory corrected, looking highly amused.

"Great," Aric said grumpily. "Now that I'm a werewolf, you get to boss me around not just while I'm in school, but for the rest of my life?"

"Unless another wolf comes along who is strong enough to defeat me," Diggory agreed cheerfully. "Which you definitely are not, at least not right now. And you're not strong enough to be doing anything with our fine-feathered friend right now, either." He laughed out loud as Aric's face turned scarlet. "You will find your new packmates annoying at times, I'm sure," Diggory continued. "I certainly do. They'll tease you and pry into your life, and you'll find that everyone in the pack always knows everyone else's business. It's almost impossible to keep a secret from them. But that's because we all love each other, with a bond stronger than blood. If any one of us is ever in trouble, the rest of the pack will come to his or her aid. You will never have to be alone again, Aric." He grinned. "Which may be a bit dismaying at times, but you're stuck with us." His expression grew a bit more serious, but he was still smiling, and Aric could see genuine warmth and affection in his yellow-green eyes. "We're your family now, Aric," he said quietly, laying a hand on Aric's unwounded shoulder.

"Thank you, Master Diggory," Aric said hoarsely, because he was suddenly choked up with emotion. He may have lost one family, but he had gained another.

"You might as well call me 'Lukas' when we're not in school," Diggory said. "The rest of the pack does."

"Except for the kids," Aric reminded him, smiling as he remembered the werewolf children from the clinic. "'Uncle' Lukas."

Diggory--no, Lukas--laughed. "Well, you are my cub in a sense," he said, fondly ruffling Aric's hair. "Since I deliberately made you part of my pack." He paused and gave Aric a questioning look.

"I don't regret it," Aric said firmly. "Not for a second."

"Good," Lukas said, sounding relieved. He smiled at Aric, a bit wistfully. "I suppose that this is the closest I'll ever get to having cubs of my own. So you are welcome to live with me if you want. I still have to attend an official hearing, but Arthur tells me that it's almost certain that I'll be awarded the Diggory estate now that Amos is disgraced. So you can live at the mansion, or at the townhouse with the other wolves, or there's plenty of room in my quarters at Hogwarts."

"Thank you," Aric said, feeling touched by Lukas's words. He had gone from being cast out by his family to having a surfeit of people who wanted him to live with them! "But..."

Lukas smiled knowingly. "But you're going to move in with Takeshi. Well, that's fine; he's part of the pack, too. But just know that you'll always have a place in my home, wherever that might be."

"Thank you," Aric repeated, blinking back tears. He lay back in bed suddenly feeling very tired.

"I have other things to tell you," Lukas said. "About your lycanthropy, and what to expect during the full moon. But that can wait. Get some rest."

Aric closed his eyes, too tired to protest. He felt Lukas draw the blanket up over him, felt the werewolf's hand--warm and slightly calloused--rest briefly on his cheek. And then he fell asleep, feeling secure and content.

***

Aric dozed off and on throughout the day. Lukas or Takeshi were always there when he woke, to help him to the bathroom or change his bandages and give him medicine, or just to talk and keep him company. He received a few more kisses from Takeshi, but unfortunately, he didn't have the strength to take things any further. He sighed regretfully to himself. Well, at least it gave him something to look forward to--and a great deal of incentive to recover quickly.

When he awoke late in the afternoon, there were four more flower arrangements in the room that had not been there before. One was from Selima Snape, another was from the Ames family, the third was from Takeshi's parents, and the fourth was from the Hogwarts staff. It consisted of flowers that had been picked from the school greenhouses, and the Headmaster had sent a small bag of lemon drops along with it.

"I wasn't expecting this," a bemused Aric told Lupin, who had just arrived with Theo and Dylan, to visit again as they had promised. "Maybe something from the school, since I'm a student and I was injured on the school grounds, but I figured that I'd be shunned by all the purebloods."

Lupin smiled and helped himself to a lemon drop. "Ah, but Lady Selima is very fond of Lukas, so of course she is grateful that you saved his life. She has already quite publicly supported him, so she will not be leery of associating with you just because you are a werewolf. Lady Selima does possess certain typical pureblood prejudices, to be sure, but she is a law unto herself, and she does as she pleases. If the rules don't suit her, she'll bend them to fit her needs. As for the Ames family, Gwendolyn also loves Lukas very much. I'm sure that losing him for a second time would have been devastating for her, so it's no surprise that she'd want to send you a small token of her gratitude. As for the Kimuras, well..." Lupin's eyes twinkled merrily. "You're important to their son, so of course you're important to them as well."

"They know about me?" Aric asked nervously. He'd been so worried about his family's reaction, that he had never stopped to consider how Takeshi's family might react to him taking a lover who was not only male, but also a werewolf. They were supporters of the Wolfsbane Potion Distribution Program, of course, but that didn't necessarily mean that they would approve of their son sleeping with a werewolf.

"I'm not sure how much Takeshi has told them," Lupin replied, looking unconcerned. "But clearly they know that you're someone that he cares about. And even if they don't know the entire truth, I'm sure they'll be finding out soon enough. Takeshi is very close to his family, and I'm sure that he'll be introducing you to them when you're feeling better."

Suddenly Aric was no longer in such a hurry to recover. "But what if they don't approve of me?" he asked anxiously.

"Oh, don't worry," Lupin said reassuringly. "They're very kind people, and they seem quite open-minded. They love Takeshi, and I think they'll be fine with it, so long as Takeshi is happy." Lupin patted Aric on the shoulder. "Cheer up, Aric! As far as in-laws go, you have it pretty good. You should have seen Lady Selima's reaction the first time that Severus brought me to Snape Manor! She wasn't always fond of werewolves, you know."

Theo grinned, looking not vindictive, precisely, but he clearly didn't mind seeing Aric receive a little poetic justice. Aric couldn't really blame him, considering that he'd openly taunted Theo, and helped to spread word of Theo's relationship with Blaise around the wizarding world.

"They'll understand, Aric," Lupin said in a more sympathetic and less teasing voice. "The crane people usually mate for life, not unlike wolves. I don't know all that much about their culture, but I believe that it's considered taboo to try and break a bond between mates. And I believe that's why the crane clan finally gave in and decided to allow Chizuru and Karasu to marry. As little as they liked the idea of their princess marrying a tengu, they couldn't really argue with the fact that he was her chosen mate. So I don't think that Takeshi's parents would try to force him to give you up."

"Unlike my parents," Aric said bitterly.

"Here," Theo said, handing Aric a velvet pouch. "I brought this like you asked me to."

"Thanks, Theo," Aric said, grateful for the change in subject as well as the pouch. "I really appreciate it."

"No problem," Theo said. He and Lupin and Dylan all looked a little curious, but managed to refrain from asking him what he intended to do with the item in the pouch.

Even so, Aric felt obliged to say, "Um...it's sort of a gift for someone. I'll tell you about it later." All three of them grinned at him knowingly then, so perhaps he wouldn't have to explain it, after all.

Lupin had brought a deck of cards (non-exploding), and the four of them passed the time by playing cards together. Aric also asked Lupin for more details about the R.A., and Amos Diggory's and Ian Williamson's plots. Lupin had given him only a basic explanation during his first visit, not wanting to tire or upset Aric too much.

"You might have to testify at the trial," Lupin said. "Although they'll avoid calling on you unless absolutely necessary, considering your condition."

"I'll testify even if they have to carry me in on a stretcher," Aric said firmly. "I'll do whatever I can to see those two locked up. Although, personally, I think that Azkaban's too good for them. And those R.A. kids, too. They deserve more than detention and points being taken off! Not just because of what they did to me, but because they almost got Master Diggory killed!"

"Calm down, Aric," Lupin urged, looking concerned. "Takeshi will be upset with me if you have a relapse."

"If it makes you feel any better," Dylan said, "Slytherin will win the House Cup this year, thanks to you."

"What?" Aric asked in confusion, not sure how he could help win the Cup, and why they thought he would care about a stupid Cup when Lukas had nearly been murdered.

"That's right, I nearly forgot!" Theo exclaimed. "The Headmaster awarded you a hundred points for your heroism, for risking your life to save Master Diggory!" His cousin grinned at him proudly, and Aric felt both pleased and a little embarrassed. He hadn't done it for the points, of course, but somehow it made him feel good to know that Theo was proud of him.

"Those R.A. people all hate Slytherin," Dylan said, sounding smugly satisfied. "And they'll have to sit there and watch us receive the Cup, knowing that it's because of them that we won."

"You did ask for mercy on Corbin's behalf," Theo pointed out.

"Yeah, but that doesn't mean that he doesn't deserve to squirm a little," Dylan replied. "And I don't care anything about the other R.A. members; they're not related to me. Although I think Tristan's not so bad."

"All the purebloods are related, to some degree," Lupin reminded them. "And I believe that most of the R.A. members are truly repentant. Although I'm not saying that you should forgive them. They'll have to work to earn back the trust that they've lost, and prove themselves worthy of forgiveness."

Aric didn't think that he would ever forgive them, but he didn't argue further, because Takeshi walked in carrying a tray of food. "Sorry to interrupt," he said cheerfully. "But it's dinnertime for Aric."

"We should get back to Hogwarts, too," Lupin said. "Or we'll miss our own dinner. Goodbye, Aric. We'll come see you tomorrow."

"Thanks, Professor," Aric said. "And tell Master Diggory that he doesn't have to sleep here tonight. I'll be okay, really."

"I'll tell him," Lupin said with a smile. "Although I don't know if he'll listen."

Takeshi moved a sliding table over the bed and set the tray down in front of Aric. "More soup," Aric sighed in a resigned tone. Not that the soup wasn't tasty, but having it for breakfast, lunch, and dinner was getting a little old. At least this time there were bigger chunks of meat in the soup, and a little bread and butter to go along with it. There was also a goblet filled with a steaming, smoking potion that smelled unpleasant and very familiar.

"The Wolfsbane Potion," Takeshi said, handing him the goblet. "The full moon is coming up in a few days, so you need to start taking it now." As Aric regarded the smoking goblet with a look of trepidation, Takeshi added, "I'm told that it's best to drink it down all at once, as quickly as you can."

Aric took a deep breath, then gulped the potion down, trying to taste as little of it as possible--with rather limited success. "Faugh!" he gasped, then clamped his hand over his mouth, fighting a gag reflex that nearly caused him to spew the potion back up again. Once the potion was safely in his stomach, and seemed likely to remain there, Aric shuddered and said, "Merlin's Beard, that tastes foul!"

"I'm sorry," Takeshi apologized. "So far no one's been able to come up with a way to make it taste better without rendering the potion ineffective. Here, have some tea to wash the taste out of your mouth." Takeshi poured out a cup, informing him, "I made it myself; it's an old family recipe. There are several healing herbs in it, so it's very good for you."

It was slightly bitter, but Aric drank it without complaint, since Takeshi had made it specially for him. And it did help wash the taste of aconite out of his mouth. He ate his dinner, while Takeshi explained the changes that his body was undergoing.

"You'll find that your sense of smell and hearing will become more acute," the mediwizard said in a professional tone. "And your canine teeth will gradually become a little longer and sharper. Usually not enough to be very noticeable, although it seems to be more pronounced in some than in others. Lukas, for example, looks very wolf-like even as a human, with his teeth and the yellowish cast to his eyes. Perhaps it's because his strain of lycanthropy was inherited, although I can't be absolutely certain of that."

Aric nervously ran his tongue across his teeth, wondering if they were already beginning to feel sharper, or if it was just his imagination. "I won't look like a vampire, will I?"

Takeshi smiled. "No, your fangs won't grow that long, I promise. Let's see, what else? Well, as you know, a werewolf heals wounds very quickly. In wolf form, you'll heal wounds almost instantaneously, and even in human form, your wounds will heal faster than normal, and will almost never leave a scar. If a werewolf is very badly injured, he or she will automatically transform into a wolf, even if the moon isn't full, as a defensive reflex, to speed up the healing process and fight off their attacker. A werewolf is also highly resistant to illness and poison--which is of course how you were able to survive Williamson's attack. As the full moon draws near, you'll find that the wolf's instincts grow stronger, which means that you might become a little moody, and find that you lose your temper more easily than normal."

"Merlin," Aric muttered disgustedly. "Wolf P.M.S."

Takeshi laughed, "Well, that's not exactly how I would have described it, but I guess that's close enough. Without the Wolfsbane Potion, a werewolf experiences severe pain, fatigue, and nausea in the days leading up to the full moon, but the improved potion that Professors Snape and Kamiyama developed mitigate most of the symptoms. You might feel a little tired and sore, but no more so than after a good workout in Lukas's Physical Defense class."

"That is not reassuring, 'Keshi," Aric told him dryly.

"You'll need to remember to take the Wolfsbane Potion every day during the week of the full moon," Takeshi continued. "But that won't be a problem, since I'll be around to brew it for you and make sure you take it. You'll retain your human mind in wolf form, although as I said, the wolf's instincts will be stronger than normal." Takeshi grinned. "For example, Remus tells me that he enjoys being scratched behind the ears when he's a wolf."

Aric let out a little snort of derision. "I don't think that's really a wolf instinct. I doubt that very many wolves get scratched behind the ears in the wild."

"Well, a canine instinct, perhaps," Takeshi laughed.

Aric changed the subject, in an attempt to postpone thinking about what was going to happen to him during the full moon. So he told Takeshi about the R.A., allowing his anger to take his mind off his apprehension. The mediwizard's reaction, though, was somewhat less than satisfactory.

"I don't blame you for being angry," Takeshi said quietly. "But their flaw is a common one in the wizarding world: they let their pain and their prejudice blind them to the truth. They sought revenge for their lost loved ones, but blamed the wrong people. Did you not once seek revenge on Theodore for your uncle's death?"

"Yeah," Aric admitted, flushing with shame. "Okay, I know that I was wrong about Theo. But at least I never tried to kill him."

"Maybe deep down, you didn't want to hurt him, because you loved him even though you were angry at him?" Takeshi suggested gently.

Aric shrugged uncomfortably. He thought that Takeshi was probably giving him too much credit. He had never liked Theo much when they were children, maybe because he had been jealous that Rafe had seemed to favor Theo. So he wasn't sure what had really held him back from going beyond verbal insults. Maybe it was cowardice, and fear of being punished. Or maybe it was the knowledge that Rafe would have been disappointed in him.

"The R.A. members have been punished," Takeshi said. "They've disgraced themselves in the eyes of their Houses. Living with that disgrace might be worse for some of them than being expelled or even imprisoned would be."

Aric nodded reluctantly. Loss of status was one of the worst fates that could befall a member of the pureblood elite.

"And Tristan has lost his uncle," Takeshi continued. "And I don't just mean to prison. Things will never be the same in the Diggory family again. Amos betrayed his family, betrayed their love and faith and trust in him, when he tried to murder Lukas. And Stewart has lost his lifelong dream of becoming an Auror. That probably hurts him worse than anything else that you could do to him."

Aric nodded reluctantly. "Okay, but what about Isabelle Laroque? Sure, she got expelled, but that was what she wanted in the first place. Well, maybe not to be expelled, but she gets to go home like she wanted, so where's the justice in that?"

Takeshi bit his lip, looking pensive and troubled. He was silent for a long time, then finally answered, "I don't condone what she did, but I can understand how she feels, a little."

"What do you mean?" Aric asked.

"I know what it feels like to be caught between two worlds," Takeshi replied softly, "and to truly belong to neither. My family moved here from Japan when I was about five years old, not long after the war ended. I have lived in England for most of life, but my parents raised me to think of myself as Japanese. As much as they love their adopted land, they consider themselves Japanese first and British second. They took the assignment of establishing the restaurant and the Portkey partly out of a sense of adventure, but mostly to protect their homeland. It was part of a long-term plan to forge an alliance with Britain and prevent the Dark Lord from spreading his influence to our country.

"So not unlike Isabelle, I grew up speaking Japanese at home, although my parents also taught me English. I grew up following Japanese customs and beliefs. I went to school at Hogwarts, but I was also tutored by my parents, and by relatives back home in Japan, when I visited them during the summer, in traditional Asian forms of magic that are not taught in the West. My brother was not really happy in England. He didn't fit in at Hogwarts, and he soon began showing a talent for Weaving magic, which can only be taught by the crane people, so he chose to go back home to Japan to be educated at Mahou Gakkou and be apprenticed to a Weaver of the crane clan. I remained at Hogwarts, and I made friends and was happy there. In some ways, I became more British than Japanese, but I was aware that there was something that always set me slightly apart from my classmates. No one teased me or shunned me, and maybe they didn't even notice, but I always felt different, somehow. I had been raised in a different world from them.

"At the same time, I found that when I returned to Japan for summer vacations, I no longer felt entirely Japanese, either. I still spoke the language fluently, but didn't recognize some of the slang terms that the children my age used. I had to remember to be more polite and indirect when speaking to people, particularly my elders, lest I be considered rude for being too blunt. I had to remember to use terms of address and levels of formality that are not used in Britain. Nothing too difficult, really, but I had to make a conscious adjustment; it no longer came to me naturally. And just when I'd begun to get used to it, I had to make another adjustment when I returned to England and Hogwarts.

"Since my family moved to England, I have never felt entirely British or entirely Japanese," Takeshi said with a sad smile. "I love both lands, but I find that I cannot belong completely to either of them. Perhaps that's why I get along with the werewolves so well, because they are outsiders in their own country."

"I didn't know," Aric said, feeling stunned and a little ashamed of his self-centeredness, that he had never noticed that Takeshi was so unhappy. "You always seemed happy..."

"For the most part I am," Takeshi assured him. "You don't have to feel sorry for me. And please don't say anything about this to my parents. I've never told them, because it would only make them feel guilty. They did what they thought was right, establishing the restaurant and maintaining the Portkey. And perhaps it did play a role in helping to win the war. It allowed Professors Snape and Kamiyama to work together on the Wolfsbane Potion, without which Lukas and his pack probably would not have considering allying with the Order of the Phoenix. And the Portkey enabled the tengu warriors to come to the Order's aid. And of course Miyako Kamiyama came through the Portkey and gave Harry the prophecy that told him how to defeat the Dark Lord: 'The Lion must embrace the Serpent in the end.'"

Takeshi smiled at Aric warmly. "And most of all, if I had never moved to England, I would never have met you, my wolf. Finding you was worth any pain that I might have suffered."

"I love you, Takeshi," Aric whispered, tears stinging his eyes. He still wasn't sure that he was worthy of being loved by someone as wonderful as Takeshi, but he silently vowed to do his best to make his lover happy from now on.

"I love you, too," Takeshi whispered back, kissing him tenderly on the mouth. "I am content now, because it doesn't really matter where I live, so long as I am with you."

They continued kissing, until things grew heated, and Takeshi reluctantly pulled away. "No strenuous activity, remember?" the mediwizard admonished.

"But you're the one who started it!" Aric reminded him.

"Then eat your dinner, so you can recover your strength and heal quickly," Takeshi told him with a smile.

Aric obediently picked up his spoon and resumed eating. "Any chance that I can get some real food tomorrow?"

"I'll see what I can do," Takeshi promised. "I think you can start eating regular meals tomorrow, since your body seems to be healing rapidly. You're very lucky, you know; the poison normally does permanent damage to the victim's internal organs. Williamson is still on a liquid diet, and in severe pain. He'll never fully recover, even with the antidote."

"Good," Aric said spitefully. Then he frowned. "Is he a patient in this ward?"

"No," Takeshi said, shaking his head. "He's being treated in the Spell Damage ward. Which is a good thing, since I might be tempted to break my Healer's oath if he were under my care." Aric was a little startled by the grim and fierce expression on Takeshi's normally kind face, and his beloved smiled at his surprise. "You are my mate," Takeshi said quietly but passionately, "and I would, if necessary, kill anyone who tried to harm you."

His eyes were almost glowing with intensity, and Aric was reminded that he was not fully human. Once he had thought that "non-human" meant "less than human," but now he realized that it could mean "more than human" as well. He understood now why the Japanese wizards considered the native shapeshifters to be something akin to divine spirits.

"I'm fine," Aric reassured him, gingerly reaching out to touch his hand. "Merlin, I almost feel sorry for Williamson if you get your hands on him!"

That broke the mood and Takeshi laughed, looking human once more. Aric finished his meal, and Takeshi cleared the dishes away. "I need to check on the other patients now," he said, giving Aric a quick kiss. "But I'll come back and see you after that."

"Could you wait just a minute?" Aric asked, remembering the gift that he'd asked Theo to bring. "I have something for you."

"Oh?" Takeshi said curiously. "What is it?"

"This," Aric said, pulling a large gold-and-silver egg from the pouch Theo had fetched from his room.

"Very pretty," Takeshi said.

"I found it during the Easter egg hunt at Lady Selima's party during spring vacation," Aric explained. "It was the grand prize."

"Congratulations," Takeshi said, looking puzzled. "So...you want to give me the egg?"

"Not the egg, but what's inside it," Aric replied. He opened the hollow egg, taking out the jade serpent-shaped bracelet that lay within it. Some impulse had made him take it back with him to Hogwarts, although he had no longer wanted it after his mother had suggested that he give the bracelet to Miranda. He didn't really know why he had brought it, but he was glad now that he had. "My mother told me that I should give the bracelet to my betrothed. So I would like to give it to you, Takeshi." He held out the bracelet to Takeshi, who just stood there staring at him wide-eyed. Aric suddenly wondered if he'd made a mistake. Maybe it sounded to Takeshi like Aric was giving him a cast-off gift that had been intended for Miranda, and he cursed himself for being so stupid and thoughtless.

But then Takeshi smiled, looking touched and pleased, and took the bracelet from him. "I would be honored to wear it, Aric," he said, slipping the jade serpent onto his wrist. It blended in nicely with his green uniform. "A perfect fit," he said, holding up his wrist to admire the bracelet. "It's beautiful," Takeshi said, bending down to kiss Aric. "A jade serpent to remind me of my Slytherin lover. Thank you, Aric. I only wish I had some token to give you in return."

"But you do," Aric said, grinning. "I mean, you already did." Takeshi gave him another puzzled look, and Aric reached over and pulled the white feather out of the nightstand drawer. "You gave me this," he said, holding up the feather. "I found it on my bed yesterday, after you transformed. I..." He blushed, feeling a little embarrassed, but continued, "I held it as I slept, and I think it helped to ward off any bad dreams. I mean, after being poisoned and turned into a werewolf, you'd have thought I'd have a few nightmares, but I didn't."

Takeshi smiled at him, looking a little amused. "You want one of my feathers as a love-token?"

Aric nodded. "I'll wear a ring or bracelet if you want, but this is all I really need. It reminds me of you, how beautiful and magical you are." He brushed the tip of the feather across his cheek. "And it feels like your hair," he said dreamily. "All smooth and silky."

Takeshi laughed gently. "I never thought that you could be so romantic and poetic, my love!" he declared, and Aric felt his face turn bright red, but then Takeshi kissed him again, and that made up for any amount of embarrassment he might have felt.

"You may keep that feather, then," Takeshi said when their lips parted. "But I want to give you a better token than that. We'll go to Japan this summer to visit my brother, and I'll ask him to weave you a robe made from my own feathers."

Aric shivered with pleasure at the thought of wearing a silk robe made of Takeshi's feathers; it would be like wearing his lover against his bare skin. He felt a stirring in his loins, and sighed, wondering how long it would take for him to recover enough to participate in "strenuous activity." Then something occurred to him, and he frowned. "Won't it take a lot of feathers to make an entire robe? Does it hurt to pull them out?" He had sudden vision of his lover looking like a plucked chicken.

"It does take a lot of feathers," Takeshi replied, smiling. "But it doesn't hurt very much, and my feathers grow back much more quickly than a normal bird's would. They usually regenerate completely within a few days, and I don't have to pull them out all at once. It usually takes about a week to weave a bolt of silk from feathers. Dyeing, cutting, and sewing the cloth will take a little longer, of course."

"Your brother?" Aric asked uneasily. "Is he a crane, too? No, you said that you were the only one in your family who could transform..."

"Ichiro cannot transform, but he does have the Gift of Weaving, which is very rare for a part-blood," Takeshi explained. "Especially one who is unable to take crane form. But the Head Weaver says that he is the most talented apprentice she has had in decades. While I, on the other hand, have the Gift of transformation, but I have absolutely no talent for Weaving." He smiled. "My brother tried to teach me, but alas, everything I tried to create turned into a mess of tangles and knots. But don't worry; Ichiro will weave you a beautiful robe."

"Are you sure he'll want to weave a robe for me?" Aric asked anxiously. "I mean, are you sure he'll approve of me...of us...?"

"Of course," Takeshi said warmly. "I've told him all about you. In fact, he told me to bring you with me when I come to see him."

"You have? He did? Really?" Aric wondered exactly what Takeshi had told his brother. He knew that there was a great deal about himself that was not very flattering, and he had hurt Takeshi badly in the past, although he hadn't meant to.

"Really," Takeshi said reassuringly. "Don't worry. My brother understands the pressures of family and society. He won't hold anything against you. Your people are not the only ones who can be prejudiced, you know. Some of the pureblooded cranes look down on those of us who are part human, and there were many people who objected when Ichiro became the Head Weaver's apprentice, and again when he married her daughter. He is a respected member of the clan now, but it took a great deal of hard work and patience to win their acceptance. He won't hold your gender against you, and he'll understand why it was so hard for you to go against your family." He lifted Aric's hand to his lips and kissed it. "And in the end, you chose me. You are my mate, and my family will welcome you as a son and brother."

"And your parents?" Aric asked, still feeling worried.

"They know that I'm gay," Takeshi said matter-of-factly. "I haven't exactly told them about you yet, but I've brought home boyfriends before, so they won't be shocked." Aric felt a sudden, unexpected surge of jealousy towards those past boyfriends. Takeshi's eyes drifted towards the flowers his parents had sent, and he smiled. "Although they might have guessed by now. They're quite perceptive. Don't worry, Aric. My mother is part crane, so they understand that lifemates cannot be separated. They'll just be happy to see that I'm happy." He gave Aric one last kiss. "Now I really do have to go and tend to my other patients, but don't worry, my wolf. I promise that my family will love you." He smiled delightedly. "I can't wait for them to meet you!"

Takeshi sounded so sure of himself that Aric couldn't help but believe him, although he still felt a little apprehensive. His fingers absent-mindedly stroked Takeshi's feather as he thought to himself what a strange family he had gained. Lukas, as a sort of foster father, and a pack of werewolves to be his brothers and sisters. His cousin Theo, and by extension, Lupin, Snape, and Dylan. And Takeshi's family, descended from shapeshifters and shamen. And Erika, at least, still seemed to regard him as family, even if his parents and grandparents no longer did.

Aric touched the feather to his lips. He was still a little nervous about meeting his new "in-laws," but found that he was almost looking forward to it. It sounded like something out of a fairy tale to him--parents who cared more for their child's happiness than their position in society. Not to mention the whole other fairy tale element of a crane maiden marrying a human man. He really hoped that Takeshi's family liked him, not so much for his own sake, but for Takeshi's. He wanted more than anything to make Takeshi happy, so he didn't want to cause trouble between Takeshi and his family.

And then he remembered that he had already met Takeshi's mother when Lupin had treated him to lunch at the Sakura, and again at the Career Fair. He remembered thinking that she had seemed too young and beautiful to have an adult son; perhaps that was partly due to her crane blood. He remembered that she had been kind to him, and had obviously loved her son very much. Then he relaxed, thinking to himself that if the other Kimuras were anything like Takeshi, then everything would be all right. Surely Takeshi could not have turned out so kind and open-minded if his parents had been anything like Aric's. He sighed with relief and lay back in bed, still holding the feather in his hand.

***

Aric felt much better the next morning--well enough to devour a large breakfast of eggs, sausages, bacon, and toast. "Ah, real food!" Aric sighed with satisfaction, licking the grease from his fingers when he was done. He finished every scrap of food; the plates looked so clean that they almost didn't need washing.

Takeshi seemed very pleased with his appetite, saying that it was a sign that he was recovering. The bite wound was also healing rapidly. Takeshi removed the bandages, since Aric's flesh had begun to knit together and the wound was no longer bleeding. The newly-formed layer of skin was still red and tender, but Takeshi promised him that it would not leave a scar, and that the wound would probably vanish completely after his first transformation.

The thought of undergoing that transformation terrified Aric, but he tried not to let it show, not wanting to seem like a coward in front of his lover. "Great," he said, with an air of bravado. "I wouldn't want any scars marring my good looks!"

"I'll always love you, scars or no scars," Takeshi laughed, then gave Aric a kiss. But he must have seen through Aric's act, because he added gently, "And don't worry about the full moon. Everything will be all right. Remus and Lukas and I will help you through it."

"I'm fine," Aric said quickly. "I'm a little nervous, of course, but I'm fine." Takeshi kissed him again and left to check on his other patients, promising to come back when he was done.

But Aric wasn't really fine. The thought of changing into an animal was frightening, and he wasn't sure if he wanted Takeshi there to see it. He was scared--scared that it would hurt, because he had read that the transformation was very painful, and he wasn't sure how well he would be able to handle it. He didn't want Takeshi to see him screaming or crying; the transformation would be hard enough without worrying about whether he might humiliate himself in front of his lover. And he was scared because he was turning into an animal, and not just any animal--a beast, a predator. He knew that the Wolfsbane Potion was supposed to keep him from going mad, but what if something went wrong? What if he lost control of himself and attacked Takeshi? He knew that was an irrational fear, since Lupin had been taking the potion for years without any problems, but he just couldn't shake it. Besides, what if the poison in his blood somehow interfered with the potion? Takeshi didn't seem to think it was a problem, but then again, this situation had never come up before. The Healers said that it had been decades since the last time someone had been treated for the Sanguis Veneno spell.

He began reading one of Lupin's romance books to try and take his mind off of things. But he could hear a couple of nurses whispering as they passed by his room.

"That's the Dietrich boy, isn't it?"

"Poor thing, I hear that his family's cast him out. How horrible to be heir to a wealthy family one minute, and an outcast the next."

"But he chose to be bitten, so I hear," the first nurse said. "I don't think I could have done that!"

"Well, would you rather be dead?" the second nurse asked, and then their voices faded as they moved out of range.

Aric shuddered a little when he realized that he had only been able to overhear them because of his heightened wolf senses. Takeshi had spoke of them as if they were an advantage, but Aric saw that it was also a curse as well. Sure, it might be useful sometimes to hear things that you weren't supposed to, but there were some things that it was better not to hear--like the scornful, pitying, and curious comments that people were bound to make about him behind his back. He knew that the nurses' comments were probably mild compared to the gossip that must be buzzing around the school and the circle of pureblood elite that he no longer belonged to.

Now that he was aware of it, he found it hard to tune out the background noises around him. Not just the gossip, but the groan of a patient in pain, the voice of a Healer telling a nurse what medication to give a patient, the sound of a cart being rolled down the hall and the clinking of plates and silverware as an orderly gathered up the breakfast dishes from the other rooms. Aric continued turning the pages of the book, but was unable to concentrate on the story, and looked up with relief when he heard footsteps and voices coming down the hallway, this time familiar and welcome.

"Hello, Aric," Lupin said cheerfully. "How are you feeling?"

"Much better, thank you," Aric replied.

Lupin suggested a game of cards, and Aric willingly set aside the romance novel as Lupin dealt out the cards for himself, Aric, Theo, and Dylan. Snape merely greeted Aric curtly, then excused himself saying that he had an errand to run.

They played cards and talked for about an hour, until Snape returned and said it was time to go back to Hogwarts. "You go on ahead," Theo told the others. "I'll be along in a minute."

"What is it, Theo?" Aric asked curiously once they were alone.

"I brought you a gift," Theo replied. "But I thought it might be better to give it to you in private."

He handed Aric a leather-bound book. It appeared to be very old; the leather was worn and scuffed, and the pages were yellow with age, but the lavishly painted illustrations were still beautiful, if slightly faded. Aric idly flipped through the book, wondering why Theo had given it to him. At first glance, it appeared to be an adventure novel similar to one of Lupin's books, about a young wizard who was journeying to faraway lands. But then Aric turned the page, and the next illustration nearly made his eyes pop out of his head. He flipped through the book more rapidly, and discovered that the book was indeed a story about a young wizard's adventures--more specifically, his amorous adventures with handsome young men. The book was actually a sex manual thinly disguised as a novel, with very graphic and detailed text instructions, and equally graphic illustrations.

Aric slammed the book shut, his face turning a bright shade of crimson. "Where on earth did you get this book, Theo?!" he demanded.

His cousin just grinned at him unrepentantly. "Hidden in a secret cupboard in the Nott mansion library," he replied casually. "It seems that one of my ancestors had tendencies similar to mine. That book was quite educational, but I don't really need it anymore, so I thought I would pass it on to you."

"What makes you think that I need it?" Aric snapped, still blushing.

"Well, I've only heard of you having girlfriends, not boyfriends," Theo said with a shrug. "Although I guess that isn't the sort of thing that you'd advertise. But if you don't want it..."

"I didn't say that," Aric mumbled. He had fooled around some with guys at Durmstrang, but his experience was mainly limited to a little mutual groping and wanking, and the occasional blow job (received, never given) from one of the younger boys who worshipped the stars of the Quidditch teams. Takeshi was older and probably much more experienced than he was; Aric suddenly recalled his casual reference to past boyfriends, and felt a sudden surge of jealousy and uneasiness. Theoretically, he knew how men had sex with each other, but maybe he'd hang onto the book anyway. Just so he didn't look like a complete ignoramus or inexperienced schoolboy the first time they made love.

Aric opened the book again, and it fell open to an illustration that made him raise his eyebrows and turn even redder. "Merlin's Beard, is that actually possible?"

Theo leaned over to his shoulder to see what he was looking at. "Only if you're a contortionist, I think."

"So you and Zabini haven't tried everything in this book?"

"Not everything," Theo replied cheerfully. "I didn't really fancy trying to explain it to Madam Pomfrey if I pulled a muscle or tore a ligament. And I'm not into threesomes. The second part of the book is a bit...um...fanciful. But you should find the first half useful."

"Hello, Theodore," Takeshi said. "I thought you had left with the Professors. What are the two of you looking at?"

Aric jumped guiltily, shoved the book under the stack of Lupin's books, and hastily said, "Oh, nothing. Just one of Professor Lupin's romance novels. They're a bit silly, but there's not much to do here besides read." Aric laughed nervously, trying not to blush, although he was afraid that he was failing miserably. The one time that his new wolf senses would have come in handy, and he hadn't even heard Takeshi enter the room! Apparently they didn't work when he was being distracted by pornographic pictures.

"Well, I'd better be going," Theo said quickly, hurrying towards the door. He winked at Aric from behind Takeshi's back and said innocently, "Enjoy the books."

"I'm going to kill him," Aric muttered under his breath.

"I hope you haven't started fighting with Theodore again," Takeshi said sternly. "The two of you have been getting along so well recently."

"Er, no, everything's fine," Aric assured him. And mostly he was still grateful to his cousin, although he did want to throttle him at the moment.

"That's good," Takeshi said, then glanced at the stack of books. "Ariel Zoltaire, hmm? I've a read a couple of them; they're not bad." His eyes fell on Theo's book, and he said casually, "'Adventures of a Journeyman Wizard'? That's not one of Zoltaire's books, is it?"

"No, but it seems quite similar," Aric said, trying to sound indifferent. "Adventure, romance, that sort of thing." He quickly changed the subject. "How soon can I go home? I mean, back to Hogwarts?"

"You can probably return to school tomorrow, if you promise to take it easy," Takeshi replied, and they chatted about other things for several minutes. Aric relaxed, feeling relieved that Takeshi hadn't recognized the book or looked inside it.

At least until Takeshi said he had to take care of another patient, turned to leave, and then paused. "By the way, Aric," he said, his brown eyes sparkling mischievously behind his gold wire-rimmed glasses, "Hogwarts has a copy of that book in the restricted section of the library. I'm rather fond of page fifty-two, myself. Maybe we can try it out when you're feeling better."

The mediwizard casually sauntered out the door as Aric's face turned beet red and he cursed Theo under his breath. And then Aric picked up the book and turned to page fifty-two.

***

While Lupin and the boys were visiting with Aric, Snape paid a visit to the Spell Damage ward. The Auror standing guard outside Williamson's room nodded at Snape and allowed him to enter unchallenged. Snape nodded back, entered the room, and shut the door behind him.

"What do you want?" Williamson asked sullenly.

"Now, now, is that any way to speak to your savior?" Snape asked in a silky voice, holding up a potion bottle.

"You're going to lord it over me for the rest of my life, aren't you?" Williamson groaned. "Maybe I'd be better off dead!"

"Well, if that's what you prefer..." Snape said with a shrug, heading for the door.

"No!" Williamson shouted frantically. "No, please wait! I didn't mean it!"

Snape smiled at him evilly, like a cat toying with a mouse. He waved the potion bottle in the air invitingly and purred, "So how badly do you want this, Williamson?"

"What do you want, Snape?" Williamson asked desperately.

Snape's voice suddenly turned brisk and businesslike. "You are going to stand trial in a few days. You will plead guilty to all charges and confess all your crimes. In particular, you will make sure to clear the werewolves and myself of any wrongdoing. You will accept the sentence that the Minister of Magic proposes."

"That's life in Azkaban," Williamson whispered.

"Life in prison, or no life at all," Snape said mercilessly. "It's your choice, Williamson. Just remember, that even if by some miracle you should win your freedom, it will be very short-lived without this potion." He held the potion bottle up high, then opened his hand and let it fall. Williamson let out a shriek of fear and protest, but Snape caught the bottle with his other hand before it hit the ground.

"All right," Williamson said in a defeated tone, his shoulders slumping. "You win. I'll do whatever you say."

"Good," Snape said. "Then I'll drop the potion off with your Healer." And then he left the room, smiling very smugly to himself.

Part 85

***

Afterword: An example of an Onmyouji is Subaru Sumeragi in the Tokyo Babylon and X:1999 manga and anime. There is also a live-action Japanese movie called Onmyoji that is very loosely based on a real historical figure, Abe no Seimei, who was a famous Onmyouji in the Heian era of Japan. I borrowed the idea of the paper doll girl from the movie; in one amusing scene, Abe is waited on by several beautiful female companions who turn out to be merely paper dolls.