Chapter Text
“Then I don’t want to be human!” Harry screamed at Dumbledore as rivets of rage coursed through him. He was quick to pluck the nearest item and throw it across the room with little care for its destination. Several portraits yelped as the object, a delicate silver thing, shattered across the wall into a rain of sparkling shards.
His hurt blazed with violent ire at the man who claimed Harry’s feelings, pain to be his blessing. The very humanity that allowed him to defy Voldemort.
“But you are, Harry. The anguish you feel for Sirius—” Dumbledore’s words were cut off by another shriek as the lunascope barely missed his head. The man didn’t bother to move.
“Well I’ve had enough anguish! I’ve seen enough! I WANT OUT! I DON’T CARE ABOUT ANY OF IT ANYMORE!” Harry ignored the sudden clatter as one of the frames fell to the floor as his magic struck at the room like a viper. His hands itched to throw something else and when there was nothing left on the table to throw, Harry used the thing itself to expel his rage.
The table clattered to the floor with a harsh crack. The top splintered as bits of Harry’s magic leached into the wood in vindictive sparks to shred it from the inside out. Dumbledore stood silently with thinned lips at the sight but with no move to stop the boy in the wake of his grieving destruction.
“You care, Harry,” the elder said in patience. “You care so much it hurts, that you will bleed with sorrow until your blood runs out. You weep with tragedy as if it is the very sound of your soul. You care. You are human because you care. ” There was no attempt at comfort in Dumbledore’s words. They were direct, truthful and immovable to the recipient’s denial.
“I don’t! I don’t want to!” The scream tore through his throat as if possessed. Harry, in that singular moment, hated him. He hated Dumbledore and his impassive gaze at the broken scene of his office. Harry wanted to break him, too. Wanted to slash and tear at the man until those blue eyes showed with concern or contempt at the state of things. Something that made Harry believe he was truly a man just as pervious to the horror he felt bubbling up in himself. Let Albus Dumbledore be human enough for the both of them.
“You do, Harry. You, above all others, care. In spite of everything you have lost, you care.” The words were calmed and paced with ease. Dumbledore didn’t move to calm him as Harry’s body shook with fury. His skin felt tight and constricting as his magic ran through his veins like live currents, sparking and shaking the objects of the office and letting them litter the floor.
Dumbledore stood immovable to it.
“You, above all others, don’t get to tell me how I feel!” Harry returned with mocking contempt. “You don’t get to use them! You don’t—!”
Harry could no longer use words to convey his hurt. There was nothing else to smash to release his rage. And he would not allow Albus Dumbledore to see him break and mourn Sirius once the anger burned out. He wanted to run.
And something in his magic whispered back: go.
“Harry!” Dumbledore shouted in surprise at the sudden action.
But Harry was already out of the office and sprinting, he would not listen to anything more. Not now, maybe not ever.
He hurried down the stairs and hall with a need to escape. The stone walls of the castle were imposing as they echoed his steps in taunting raps. Hogwarts had always felt like home, had felt right in his soul and the magic soothed him like a soft blanket. Now it nipped at him, spurring him further, faster, farther away.
Inherently, Harry knew that Dumbledore had not followed and allowed him his desired escape. He had yelled, screamed, thrown items like a tantruming child and Dumbledore had let him without restraint. He had been allowed to say everything that had been boiling in him for as long as he could remember. It made Harry hate him more for it.
Fleeting thoughts of his friends made his pacing stutter, his strides awkward. They had made it back to Hogwarts and were in the hospital wing. He could go to them easily. And they would welcome him with apologies and condolences. But he didn’t think he could face them after being the singular cause for the events of the evening. Ron would be permanently scarred, Hermione had been struck by an unknown curse and Luna had been unconscious the last he saw of them, Ginny left with a nasty broken leg and recovering for a strong stunning charm. And Neville left to the after effects of Bellatrix Lestrange.
He was just so angry and hurt.
Harry couldn’t forgive himself for any of it.
Harry felt like he was choking on the sudden breath of the cool night air flooding his lungs. He had somehow made it all the way to the courtyard. It was baren of other students and draped in pale light of the half moon. Harry gassed a cry as his body shook with a sudden sob. He felt wrong. Everything felt wrong. He didn’t understand why it always had to be. He needed to get away.
He barely managed to keep his footing with tear stained cheeks and fogged glasses as he barrelled down the steep hill and into the Forbidden Forest. But the gnarled tree roots of the forest proved to be his match. They snaked across the brush covered floor in awaiting snare traps and the Gryffindor toppled forward in a screeching heap at the sudden change in momentum.
Harry heaved as he propped himself up on his elbows. The miniscule contents of his stomach splattered across the pitch floor.
Magic continued to crackle across his skin in small, visible arches as he groaned low and guttural. His being felt raw and wrung.
“Never thought I’d see you in such a state, Potter,” a smooth voice mused from a distance.
It took all the energy he had left to look up at the speaker and truly focus on them. Soft brown waved hair and sharp dark eyes was what he was met with in the dim filtered moonlight.
“Nott…” The singular name was gruff and felt heavy on his tongue as he gave another wheezed groan. His body shuddered as he fell to his side, hunching. It was as if his skin was rippling in visible waves, his muscles constricted against his protest.
An inquisitive hum was his resounding answer to his acknowledgment.
“Truly, Potter. Never a bore,” Theo sighed.
Theo watched as Harry slipped into unconsciousness with little surprise after his attempt at pleasant conversation. He had felt the moment Harry had exited the protective wards of the castle and entered the forest. Theo had been recentering under the half moon with the forest at its most calm when his magic flared. He had let himself panic for the remaining few moments he had alone. They were both young and the environment was worrying. He would never shy from a forest and could admit the glee that budded at the prospect of fate having decided on one. But this was still Hogwarts and Wizarding Britain. Theo couldn’t think of a more stressful location. He could practically hear Blaise’s cackling laugh at the situation.
Theo took a last calming breath, a short pause before beginning the methodical drawing of a protection perimeter to watch Harry. He would not win in a physical fight as a Druid nor would he feel safe enough to wield battle magic without any protection around Harry if anything were to spring forth during the boy’s inheritance. But he could offer protection and he couldn’t think of something Harry might need more.
The magic was visible as Harry’s body shook and a soft sheen was slowly dusting across the exposed skin in a faint silver glow. The inheritance would be starting soon, by the looks of the things, and most likely a violently spectacular one.
He never thought he would be the First, for his Heart, nor that his Heart would be the boy he continuously kept in his periphery out of self preservation. Harry Potter was a magnet for chaos and that was the last thing Theo wanted to draw to himself. He was at risk enough given the state of things. But, despite the risks he knew were sure to come, he was hopeful at the prospects of what was to follow Harry’s awakening.
Theo’s hand hovered a mere breath away from coming into contact with the other boy’s skin when he was no longer worried that it would lash out in protection at his slow approach. The magic tickled and sparked along his palm with a playful bite, all things considered.
A distressed whimper escaped Harry as the first changes slowly started to creep through. The scars were starting to visibly fade as the magic pooled to them in soft beacons.
It was fascinating, seeing the Change. He didn’t remember much of his own and was all the more happy for it. Theo had heard the specialness of being the First, witnessing a Heart go through their inheritance and being trusted enough to keep them safe until they awoke. It could take hours or days, but like all other Firsts, Theo would be patient and protect the Gryffindor from whatever was required of him.
It didn’t escape Theo that there most likely was something that Harry would need protection from. There had been whispers in the common room before he had left for the forest and Draco had been in a particularly pompous mood. He didn’t miss the absence of the Centaurs and their watchful gaze from the shadows. There was an understanding between the Slytherin and them and Theo could tell when there were…happenings elsewhere.
His gaze lingered on the lighting bolt that marred Harry’s forehead. There was no healing glow to remove the famous mark. It was a gnarled red with raised, split ridges as if it had been carved upon the boy’s forehead that very evening.
He hissed at the sudden wrongness that flooded him when his hand drifted to the mark.
Something grievous had happened in his absence from the castle.
It was an effort to draw away from Harry, but the protection circle needed to be finished and would take hours yet to adequately serve them. Wards would be bothersome and so close to Hogwarts he was certain the Headmaster would notice.
Theo slowly began to hum the song of the forest as his wand lengthened to a proper staff and began the outline of the circle. The Forbidden Forest, despite its name, was a sanctuary. The forest’s song was slow and timbered with a gentle allure of protection. It was little surprise that those that had named it, the Wixen kind, had done so with such a malicious moniker. The forest served to protect the Fae kind from those that would seek to harm them. It wasn’t for a lack of trying to remove the forest, either. But its magic, as it soothingly glided through Theo as he completed the first three metre wide ring, was from the very earth that it sprung from and the trees mere extensions of the land to act as its guards.
Umber grey eyes gazed towards Harry as his breath became raggade. The magic had completed the healing process of his body and had slowly begun to develop his features with a soft pulsing glow encompassing him. Theo wasn’t sure what type of Fae the other would be but currently it didn’t appear that it was anything winged as there were no telltale signs of new bones sprouting from his back and much less screaming that should accompany it. He noted how the nest of damaged hair slowly started to pull into organised waves and wide raven curls. His cheekbones were more prominent and Theo was almost certain he could see softly pointed tips of his ears sticking out.
An elemental elf, potentially. Theo didn’t think Harry would be something so delicate, but his magic was only growing and the battle elves were not known to be so gifted. As quickly as the speculation came his instincts told him no . Harry was something else.
It was only the growing spasems Harry was experiencing that spurred Theo to continue weaving the second ring. The haloed black band of magic hung delicately in the air as the second circle curled into existence at Theo’s hummed guidance.
A twig snapped.
The protective magic flared to a volatile red as Theo glared at the intruder. He hadn’t felt him approach, too focused on Harry. Everything in him screamed protect . He couldn’t interrupt the circles. He was close to beginning the third as Harry moved into the final stage of his inheritance.
“Such impressive magic for one so young, little Druid. You will make a noble First.” Harry’s body jerked at the unknown voice and Theo snarled. The Slytherin glanced at his Heart and the distance across the circle as his pulse thrumbed with urgency. The barrier was strong and Theo would be quick enough to protect him if needed. “You need not fret, just consider me a mere passer through.”
“Then continue on your way,” Theo answered the man as his hand tightened on his staff.
“Hmm,” the intruder gave a lilting hum with his hands resting behind his back as he watched down at Harry.
The man was tall and willowy with long waved wine red hair. He wasn’t dressed in Wixen attire but an odd mix of old age Muggle and Elphamian garb but no prominent Fae features were visible to further identify him. His stance was relaxed and he had kept a comfortable distance by normal standards. Currently Theo wanted to see just how impressive the magic that he was crafting was if the other touched the barrier.
Harry gave a pained shriek as he tossed his head back. His magic was practically electric as it sprang in arcs across the barrier. Theo caught sight of two sets of short fangs growing from Harry’s top canines and first premolars.
“Yes, quite,” the man agreed at the sound. Onyx eyes trailed up to meet umber grey. “He will be powerful, being favoured by so many.”
Theo bristled.
“He has always been powerful,” he defended. There were two certainties at Hogwarts: The Defence teacher would never last past a year and that Harry Potter was powerful. And sometimes, most always, the two were entwined.
“You knew him before?” the man asked, curious.
“Not that it’s any of your concern,” Theo snapped. “I ask that you leave these woods.” The red barrier danced between them.
“In due time,” the other agreed placatingly. “I just wished to see,” he trailed off as he looked back at Harry. “It has truly been some time since one such as he. I wanted to ensure he was safe. I mean no harm to you or yours, little Druid.”
“You know what he is?” Theo hesitantly asked. Harry’s features were obviously elvish in appearance now even as his face twisted in pain, but no elves had doubled short fangs or delicately almond nails that bordered on claws. At least not without growing them as such specifically. It would determine what to expect once he finally woke and began their Dance and subsequently their bond and potential future bonded.
“As will you, eventually,” was the non-answer. “And I’m sure it will be quite lovely when you do.” Theo growled at the teasing comment. Harry let out a pained whimper as his body twisted towards Theo. “He will awake soon and you still have a circle to finish,” the man decided, righting himself to his full height.
Theo didn’t have the chance to press the stranger for more after the sudden interruption or what to even make of him before he was walking back into the forest as if it were the nicest of walks. Any other time he might think the other pleasant and an opportunity of information but now he was irksome even in departure. Aloof and indifferent to Theo and concerningly focused on Harry.
But that was a later headache to deal with. Currently he needed to finish the protection circle before Harry awoke.
Harry stirred with a content sigh. His body ached with a similar soreness of a morning after a quidditch match well won. It had been ages since Harry could last remember having such a nice rest. Probably before the graveyard last year and even that was pushing it.
He attempted to roll over, away from the depressing thoughts, and enjoy the last few moments of peace before he was too awake to even keep his eyes properly closed. Immediately, he was met with resistance. Warm, close resistance. It was only a second later that Harry realised his pillow had a heart beat and was breathing steadily below him.
“Ah, finally awake,” the pillow commented in a gentle voice.
Harry met little resistance as he pushed away in panic. Wide green eyes stared down to be met with…Theodore Nott. Weird. Harry couldn’t think of a time where they had even exchanged words or ever been closer than the forced proximity of the classroom. And now the boy, who looked surprisingly content as he lay on the be— forest? floor? below Harry, did little to disturb the situation. He laid relaxed with an arm propped behind his head with soft brown waves tousled and grey-brown eyes bright in the small streams of sun managing to break through the clearing. It was frustratingly attractive and sent a moment of longing through Harry for Cedric.
“Nott,” was all Harry could muster in the situation.
“Potter,” the boy teased back with a pleased, small smile. “You’re welcome to call me Theo, by the way.” Harry felt his eye twitch.
“Care to tell me why we were cuddling? And in the bloody Forbidden Forest of all places, Nott?” And why Harry couldn’t fully bring himself to hate the idea of it.
“In short, you had your Fae inheritance,” Theo stated as if that explained everything. The way Harry shivered at the soft trail of Theo’s fingers over his side in a soothing caress just might to the Slytherin.
“So what, I magically became a fairy and appeared in the forest with you to, to…” Harry couldn’t find the words to properly express his disbelief.
Theo pursed his lips into a flat line, for once an expression Harry was familiar with the other wearing. That or one of bored indifference as if the education system at Hogwarts had personally offended the Slytherin any time a teacher was explaining a topic.
“Not a fairy, Potter, you don’t have the wings for it, obviously.”
“Obviously,” Harry mocked. Though he was secretly glad because he didn’t know what he would do if he had magically sprouted wings. Panic, probably, or faint. The wizarding world was magical, but even they must draw a line at growing new limbs.
“You might know the term Creature Inheritance.” The term seemed to personally offend Theo and well, Harry could agree that it sounded more…crude. It made him think of the different species they learned about in DADA and well, the use of the word create always sounded so…bestialized as Hermione liked to explain in rants.
Harry felt a pang in his chest. Hermione, the others. There had been—
“You’re an elf, of sorts,” Theo explained further taking in what he read as confusion, pulling Harry from his growing panic.
“An elf, of sorts!” Harry exclaimed.
“Don’t panic,” Theo lightly pinched his side, chastising the Gryffindor. Theo couldn’t know that not all the panic was because he was a cre-Fae of some sort now. “I know what you’re thinking. No you’re not a house elf or as they should properly be called, Brownies. You’re of a high elf species, just…” Theo’s voice trailed off.
“Just, what, Nott?” Harry pushed the other’s hand away. He absolutely did not miss it when Theo didn’t attempt to place it back.
“Different. Not an elemental, or Light or Dark. Something magic based, but something else than a mage type. Did you truly not know you would have an inheritance?” Theo finally sat up properly and Harry took note of what the other was wearing.
He was in robes, of sorts. Not their school ones, or what he has seen of wizards. They were more billowed at the top, if obviously dishevelled, with proper sleeves and distinct trousers. Intricate silver embroidered embellishments wove across the garments that compliments the deep earth tones of the fabric. It suited him nicely, infuriatingly.
“No, I did not know that I could turn into something! At some point! And how would you know what I am anyways?” Harry demanded, anger beginning to spur his panic. The situation was a nightmare, he needed to go. He needed Hermione and Ron and just… Oh Merlin, Dumbledore’s office. Dumbledore. Sirius .
“Because no other type of elf has fangs and likes blood, Potter. And I’m Fae as well, obviously,” Theo huffed with a small frown, watching Harry.
Right, Nott was officially crazy. Harry didn’t think his own state of mind was much better.
Harry quickly moved to get up, to hurry back to the castle. It was surprisingly easy despite how sore he felt. What was not easy was subsequently getting knocked on his arse when he ran into a barrier of magic.
“What the fuck, Nott?” Harry hurried to his feet again with a glare.
Theo gave an exasperated sigh.
“You have absolutely no idea what happened, do you?” Theo finally asked.
“I don’t care if I’m a bloody Pixie right now, Nott, I need to go! The others, there was—” and then Theo was hugging him and Harry felt like he had turned to putty.
The flurry of emotions and prickling of magic quelled like a well-timed bucket of water dumped over a rapidly growing fire.
“I know something happened, Harry,” Theo affirmed in a calm, soft voice. Harry almost preened at the sound of his first name leaving the other’s lips. “You came barreling into the forest crying and sparking with magic and your scar practically slitting your forehead in half. Something happened, but you won’t be of any help until you listen.”
“But,” Harry protested weakly.
“I know. You have a ‘saving people thing’, Harry. The whole of Hogwarts knows and it is three weeks before the end of the year, the Ministry has practically taken over the school, something was bound to happen. But right now, as you are, if you go back into that castle you will be in danger. Whatever happened, I will help you with it, but I ask that you at least listen first?”
Harry wanted to argue. And cry. And maybe throw another not-tantrum to get all his emotions out. But instead he nodded and let Theo lead him back to the ground where they sat facing each other, Theo now holding his left hand.
“Thank you for trusting me, Harry.” There’s his first name again. He didn’t want to think about the heat rushing to his cheeks.
“Why, why do you have such an effect on me?” Harry might have bad eyesight, but he wasn’t blind to the happenings since he awoke.
“It’s part of the inheritance and what you are,” Theo explained patiently. “Fae inheritance occurs for various reasons. For Wixen, though, they occur when the individual has accepted that they are inherently other and magic deems them somewhere safe.” Theo paused as he watched Harry, looking for something. “Or, when the individual accepts that side of themselves and they are near their First.”
Harry tensed.
“First, what?”
“First Moirae, or soulmate in common terms.”
Harry swallowed down the lump stuck in his throat.
“And what makes the first type of inheritance different from the second type?” Harry hadn’t missed the worded distinction.
Theo, however, seemed pleased. The soft happy smile was back as he looked up from their joined hands and gazed into Harry’s eyes.
“The second is when the inheritance is a Heart. A special Fae that builds circles with them as the centre. Many Fae have many soulmates, but a Heart will always be connected to all in a circle and brings all the intended bounded together.”
Harry looked at Theo as if the boy had grown two heads at the implication. Theo continued when there were no interruptions.
“The First’s role is to protect the Heart while they inherit and act as a grounding point when they awake. A Heart tends to be favoured by magic in some way and always have a Moirae to help when they wake.”
Harry’s eyes widened, taking in the dishevelled appearance of Theo properly now. Harry’s body had been sore and they had been rather cosy when they woke, even if fully dressed.
“We didn’t—” Harry’s words stuck in his throat. Theo’s eyes widened just as quickly, realising what Harry was inquiring after.
“No! No! I helped you settle your new instincts and sooth the soul magic, we didn’t, I wouldn’t while you were not—” Theo’s pale checks tinted rose. “Hearts awake rather…attuned with their instincts as the inheritances tend to be more violent with forming soul magic at play. It’s the case with any Fae type, whatever they may be from a Druid like myself, or Weres, or Elves, and so on. The First helps pull them back to themselves. The meeting is just thought of as…Fate in the simplest of terms. Some scholars speculate it's an apology for how harsh the soul magic can be.”
Harry would definitely circle back to the fact that there was enough of this occurring for there to be whole schools of thought on the situation. He was fairly certain this would have been mentioned in his DADA class at some point in all the creatures they had studied.
“So you protected me and are now able to ground me when my magic gets a bit too…”is what Harry settled on from the explanation as he eyed the ring of magic circling them. Theo gave a tentative nod. “And now I’m some type of blood sucking Elf because I screamed at Dumbledore that I didn’t want to be human anymore and truly meant it and you just so happened to be wandering the Forbidden Forest at night because fate said so.” It was a statement, not a question.
Now Theo looked at Harry like he had grown a second head. In fairness, Harry felt like he might have when saying it aloud.
“I—Truly?” Theo couldn’t help but ask regarding the first part, somewhat in awe.
“Things happened,” Harry defended, looking away from his apparent soulmate. “Things that I need to get back to after being missing all night.”
“Two nights,” Theo corrected quietly after a moment.
The reaction was instant.
“What!” Harry shrieked, pulling back his hand as if Theo had burned him with the admission. “Then I need to go, now, Theo!” Theo looked ready to interject but Harry pressed on. “I know there is probably way more and I said I would listen. But I get the basics enough. We’re soulmates, great and wonderful, magically binding fated soulmates, but I need to get back to my friends now! ” Harry had abandoned them after causing everything. He owed it to them to return quickly, new soulmate and Fae inheritance aside.
Theo pursed his lips but didn’t rebuke the rather callous words hurled at him when he wasn’t able to object. Harry didn’t have enough emotional space left to feel bad.
“Okay,” Theo placated after a prolonged pause. “Just, please wear this, at the very least.” He held out a delicate silver signet ring he had pulled from his right pinky. “And whatever you do, don’t take it off in front of anyone, even your friends.” The request sounded heavy and resigned.
Harry took the ring and slowly slipped in onto his own pinky finger. It adjusted instantly to the required, smaller size. He shuddered once it settled; something had happened. But he needed to go.
“We’ll talk later, yeah?” Harry swallowed as he looked up at Theo. The boy looked at him passively and it made Harry’s stomach twist.
“Of course, Potter. Go, check on your friends.” His last name wasn’t spoken with malice, but the sound of it suddenly stung.
Theo mumbled a few inaudible words and gave a slight gesture with his hand and the barrier of magic fell. The Gryffindor didn’t even bother to question it. Druid, Theo had called himself.
Harry hurried forward without a glance back.
Theo didn’t immediately follow. Harry’s heart ached all the more for it.