I do not own Harry Potter, or it's characters. This is merely a work of fanfiction.

I have combined the Spring Semester, and the bonding into this chapter. There is smut. It's long.

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Remus exited the Floo at Malfoy Manor with Teddy held in his arms. He felt incredibly awkward showing up unannounced, but it was an emergency. Regulus wasn't at home, and so he must be here. Teddy ran ahead of him towards the breakfast room.

Teddy beamed happily as he leaped into Luna's arms. She caught him with a bright smile, and offered him a slice of toast that he took happily. Remus entered a second later, drawing the attention of all those in the room.

"We have a situation."

Draco's posture stiffened, so slightly that none but Holly noticed.

"What is it?" Lord Black asked.

"Teddy bit someone." 

Everyone's eyes snapped to him.

"He did what?!" Holly asked in shock.

"The little blonde girl he was dancing with?" Lord Black asked.

"Victoire!" Teddy signed cheerily.

"Yes, Victoire Delacour, Fleur's youngest sister. Their mates, soulmates. He bit her to mark her without her parents permission. She's eight and he mate-marked her on her shoulder, where everyone can see."

Luna broke into laughter as she wrapped her arms around Teddy.

"Possessive little thing, aren't you?" She asked.

"She's mine," he proclaimed.

"Will she change?" Lord Black asked.

"No. Mate-marking is different from other bites. It's instinctual. To let other members of the Pack know. Of course it's not usually done at the age of eight. We're lucky this isn't turning into an international incident."

"Well what happens now?" Holly asked.

"I've been trying to figure that out all morning. I've been writing Fenrir, Minerva, and Monsieur Delacour non-stop. We think we have a solution. The Pack is able to move, so we move. We relocate to France until they are of Hogwarts age. It's only a few more years. Monsieur Delacour has agreed to let his daughter return with Teddy to attend Hogwarts when Teddy attends Hogwarts. It's a good compromise."

"So you'd have to give up your job?" Holly asked.

"I would, but Lord McKinnon has agreed to teach Defense for the time being. We will visit often, but I can't separate Teddy from his soulmate. Especially now that he's mate marked her. It would be painful for any significant period of time."

"She's mine," Teddy signed happily, uncaring of what his actions had set in motion. Such was the way of children.

"You want my blessing," Lord Black guessed.

"Of course I do. I left once without your approval, and I was wrong. I should have stayed. But now I think I have to go."

Regulus nodded, "You do. You have my blessing. We have the Paris townhouse, which you are welcome to use. Love is worth the effort. Even little baby love."

"I'm a big boy," Teddy protested.

Luna squeezed him tight in a hug, and tickled his sides. He forgot his outrage at being called a baby, and dissolved into giggles. Remus took an empty seat at the table.

"Well I guess that's sorted. Will you all take the train back to Hogwarts?" Remus asked.

"No," Holly responded. "Zach and Hermione have invited all of us to their Hogsmeade home. We'll go the day before the term starts. We can return to the castle the next day."

"I'm going to miss all of you terribly, but I don't see a way around this."

"It's okay Remus. You have to go. We'll work hard to make sure you and Teddy have a more fair society to return to."

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Zach swirled his Firewhiskey around in his crystal tumbler, looking across the room at Draco. Neville and Cedric sat in chairs next to his and Draco's. Their soulmates had gone out to the village with Pansy, and Marcus.

The crackling of the fireplace was the only sound in the tense room. Zach put down his glass on the table beside him, and leaned forward, resting his forearms on his legs. He spoke in a low voice, as if the very walls could hear him.

"Something has to be done about Umbridge. The Ministry scandal may have put her and Fudge out of work, but it's not enough. She used a Blood Quill on Hermione. I can't let that stand."

Neville gasped, setting down his glass, his posture tense. Even Cedric looked surprised. Luna must not have seen this. He could feel the magic of the others, angry and ready to act.

"It's been handled," Draco said tensely.

He felt all the eyes in the room shift to him. He threw back the remaining firewhiskey in his glass, and set it down on the side table.

"She caught Holly and I out of bed after hours. We were in a less than proper state. She tried to blackmail us into using the Blood Quill's. I warned her, and she didn't back down. I couldn't let her threaten my soulmate, or besmirch her honor."

"Merlin. Doesn't she know who your family is?" Neville wondered.

"Clearly she thought it was all talk." Draco turned his attention to Zach. "I never would have denied you your right to revenge, had I known what she did to Hermione. I thought it was just us, but Lord Black and my father knew there must be more. I assure you she suffered a great deal."

"She's dead?" Zach asked tensley.

"Yes. I did it myself."

Zach nodded. His magic settled at the knowledge, though he still wished he had done it himself. Draco looked at Neville. He was the one he was worried about- all that bloody Gryffindor nobility. But he looked like he was ready to resurrect the toad woman just to kill her again.

"My loyalty is to us, to the Heirs. You don't have to worry about me, Draco. If you had let her get away with it, it could have been Ginny next. Zach could have formally declared a blood feud for the torture of his soulmate, but the end result would have been the same."

The truth of his statement hung in the air. There was an enormous amount of power within this room. Draco was arguably the least powerful of all of them, as he didn't yet share in Holly's magic, but he was still the Heir Malfoy. That held an incredible weight of its own.

"What's the story?" Cedric asked. "I know your family well enough to know you've thought of everything."

"She got into an altercation with the centaurs, and they killed her for it. They're a protected species. They won't face any consequences. Eventually someone will notice she's gone, though it might take a while. I doubt she had many friends."

Cedric nodded as he took another sip from his glass. He had long ago accepted the violent nature of the Black's and Malfoys. They never did anything without good reason. Their need to protect their loved ones, by any means necessary, was a core part of who they were.

"How is Hermione?" Neville asked.

"She's alright. The scars healed after our bonding."

"That's your magic at work," Draco added. "Strong magic works hard to heal physical ailments. Holly's magic healed her through her entire miserable childhood, until we met her."

Zach raised a brow in surprise. "What do you mean?"

"You don't know?"

Zach and Cedric shook their heads. Draco took a deep breath and looked at Neville. He knew Holly had told him quite a bit, but not how much. He'd tread carefully.

"You remember how she used to be so skittish?"

The other boys nodded.

"She was raised by muggles that hated her. They treated her worse than a house elf. They beat her, and denied her food, and medical treatment. She's alive because she bore all the Potter magic at once. Far more than was ever meant for a young girl to bear. "

Zach looked at him, concern clear on his face.

"That's why she used to hide behind you all the time?"

Draco nodded, "It rarely happens now. She'll yell right back at Marcus without a thought. It's actually pretty amusing to watch."

"You've been good for each other," Neville noted. "You showed her what love is, and she showed you how to not be an intolerable prat."

Draco laughed then, full and happy.

"Right, and Gin showed you how to loosen up, and we showed you how to be something other than the perfect Gryffindor Heir. You're downright mischievous sometimes."

Neville shrugged, "Yeah, you're alright I guess."

Laughter drowned out their thoughts of toad women, and darker days. Their futures were bright.

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Minerva looked out at the student body. They looked happy, content. For the first time in many years, she looked forward to a peaceful spring term. There were no foolish old men, or atrocious toad women to endanger her students.

The Heirs were stepping into their roles flawlessly. People were becoming more bold about practicing the Olde Ways. Gloves were becoming more and more popular amongst the young ladies. The older girls gave their too small pairs to the younger students.

They hadn't had time to get the Ministry and Board of Governors to approve the official teaching of The Olde Ways, but it didn't seem to matter. The Pureblood students were teaching the Muggleborns. They whispered in the halls, and the common rooms, talking about bondings, and the new student living quarters available for older students.

She turned her eyes to the Slytherin table. A small smile graced her usually stern features at the sight of a smiling Holly, sitting between her soulmate, and sister. She seemed so much happier now then when she first came to Hogwarts, so much more confident.

Holly felt a gaze on her, and raised her eyes to the Head Table. She smiled at Minerva, who nodded her head at her in acknowledgement.

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Holly sat on a couch in the Slytherin Common Room, crossing her arms with a pout.

"It's going to be boring without Teddy causing trouble."

Draco sat down beside her, draping an arm over her shoulder. He leaned down to whisper in her ear, "I promise I'll make it interesting for you."

Holly heated at his words, trying awfully hard to look unaffected.

"Besides Hols, we're going to be incredibly busy. Quidditch, OWL's, your extra potions lessons, and preparation for our bonding? You're going to be too busy to miss him, and if it's still too peaceful, we can get the Weasley Twins to cause some chaos."

"Fair enough," Holly conceded.

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The first week of classes sped by quickly. Draco was right. They were incredibly busy. She and Hermione had finished the final touch to their fertility potion, and sent it out to St. Mungos for trials earlier that day.

"I have a surprise for you," Draco called as he entered Holly's private quarters.

She set down her book, looking up at him. He carried a large box in his hands, and a radiant smile on his face.

"Another addition to my trousseau?"

"That's right."

He sat beside her on the couch, putting the box in her lap. She pulled on the green ribbon, and slid it off the black box. She opened the lid carefully as Draco watched her with excited eyes.

Inside was a green cloak with intricate beading on the shoulders of two snakes, one black, and one white. She pulled off her gloves so she could trace a gentle hand over the smooth, gauzy fabric, and flawless beading.

"Sally and Godric?"

"Yes, well they are part of the family. You'll look like a queen in this. Perfect for the Wizengamot, or anywhere you feel like intimidating people really."

"You're trouble," Holly teased.

"Maybe a bit."

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"Lady Slytherin, Heir Malfoy, please stay after class."

Holly looked at Draco, in a startled state, as Vince and Greg furrowed their brows at Professor Slughorn. For the life of her, she couldn't think of anything she had done wrong in the Potions class. Her marks were the highest they had ever been.

The other students filtered out, but Greg and Vince loitered in the doorway, unwilling to leave them alone with the professor.

"Is something wrong, Professor Slughorn?" Draco asked.

"That's what I wanted to ask the both of you."

Holly's brows raised in surprise, "What do you mean?"

"I can't help but notice that you both seem distant. Your marks are high. You've even completed your fertility potion, but it's as if your minds are elsewhere. Is there anything wrong? Anything I can help with?"

Draco guffawed, choking out a laugh that had Slughorn perplexed. Holly looked pointedly at her toes, ignoring his gaze, and elbowed Draco in the side. Seeing the blush on Holly's face, and her averted gaze, he hastened to answer Professor Slughorn.

"Nothing is wrong," he assured their professor. "Well, not that you need to be concerned about. We are merely...impatient to bond. So I suppose our minds are elsewhere."

The Professor suddenly looked incredibly flustered, looking around the room in an attempt at deflection. Holly knew he had good intentions, but she was incredibly embarrassed. Greg and Vince were barely stifling laughs of their own by the doorway.

"Well then. I'm glad you are both well. Off with you now."

Holly fled the room, Draco following behind her with a cheeky smile.

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Holly pushed herself tighter to her broom, willing it to go even faster. Draco and she both had Firebolts, but Holly was significantly smaller than Draco, giving her an advantage. She pushed past him by barely an inch, her laugh tumbling out of her. Draco groaned in frustration.

"I'm gonna get you Princess," he yelled.

"Promise?"

Draco pushed himself harder, but it was no use. Holly's hands were already closing around the Snitch. She held it up triumphantly as she cheered, and headed for the ground. Marcus blew a whistle, signaling the end of practice. Draco landed behind Holly, his jaw ticking.

"Alright there love?" Holly teased.

Draco walked toward her. His frustration at losing made him bolder. Holly felt her magic spark in response to his proximity, and the heated gaze in his eyes. He stopped a step away from her, and leaned down into her personal space, one hand holding her arm.

"Tease me all you want, Hols. Next year after we're bonded, I'm going to make love to you on this field. I'll make you cum until you can't walk, and I have to carry you back to our quarters."

Holly's eyes glazed over, as Draco straightened his posture with a haughty smirk. The rest of the team landed behind them, and headed towards the locker rooms. Marcus shot them a derisive look.

"I assume I can trust you to see Holly back to the castle? It seems I've interrupted something."

Draco laced an arm over her shoulder, finally jolting Holly out of her stupor. A pretty blush flooded her face as she realized Marcus was standing in front of them.

"Yeah, we'll be fine. I've got Holly."

Holly smiled as she turned to bury her face in Draco's quidditch sweater, hiding her face from Marcus' gaze.

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Holly sat across from Headmistress McGonagall. Luna was pacing behind them, twirling her wand in hand.

"So we don't have approval to hold Beltane celebrations on the ground yet officially...but if students were to light a bonfire on the grounds, that just so happened to be on Beltane, before curfew of course, would they receive punishment?"

The Headmistress pursed her lips as she thought. She raised her wand to summon a large book that contained the rules of the school, flipping through it quickly. She paused on a page about fires, turning her head this way and that.

"No one would be punished, if Lady Ravenclaw lit the bonfire. She is technically part magical creature, and these rules only apply to witches and wizards. It's an archaic standard, but one that could work in your favor."

Luna smiled mischievously, "Thank you Headmistress."

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Remus shook his head in amusement. Fenrir entered his tent, Teddy and Victoire both perched on one of his shoulders. They leaped off the elder wolf, running to Remus and climbing up onto his lap.

"Who is the letter from?" Teddy asked.

"Holly. They were able to celebrate Beltane on the school grounds, even though it was too late to get it approved through the Board. Luna just happened to set a bonfire on the grounds that day, and the other students just so happened to show up and dance traditional dances, and sing the traditional songs."

"Sly little things," Fenrir laughed.

"Why do they have to sneak around?" Victoire asked.

Fenrir sat down heavily in a chair. He imagined this would be the first of many times he would tell the young ones of the sins of Albus Dumbeldore.

"There once was a wizard named Albus. He was powerful, and revered by all, but he worked great evil in secret..."

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Sweat coated Holly's body. She sat down on a stool as she tried to catch her breath.

"Can't we stop? She's done just about every spell out there. It's clear the Elder Wand is only as strong as its user."

Bill vanished the remains of a wardrobe Holly had shattered, and nodded. They had been at this for hours. The Chamber of Secrets was littered with the evidence of Holly's efforts. Smashed wood, crumbled stone, and various transfigured objects were strewn across the stone floor.

"Here Lady Slytherin."

Fleur produced a water bottle from her bag, and Holly sipped it gratefully. She had to admit this was exhausting. She had summoned her Patronus no less than three times. Bill ran his hands through his hair.

"I think it's clear these artifacts hold no power over Death. Though we haven't begun to look at the Resurrection Stone, I believe it will be the same. It's up to you Lady Slytherin. We can keep going with our research, or stop. Your OWL's begin next week. I imagine you'll be busy."

Holly knew that half the reason he wanted to stop the research was his courtship with Lord Black. She supposed she couldn't blame him. Who wanted to spend time doing seemingly pointless research when they could spend their time on far more pleasant pursuits?

"Let's break for the year. I think we've done our due diligence. It's my belief that the largest power the Hallows hold is their provenance. They attract powerful witches and wizards, hungry for power. They're family heirlooms now, nothing more. Bill I know you'll be back to teach Defense, but you're both welcome to continue research on the Founders Magic if you'd like. It could be fun."

Fleur smiled and gave her a hug before she left the room, with a promise to return the next year. Bill lingered, there was an uncharacteristic slump to his shoulders.

"Are you okay?" Draco asked Bill.

The Curse Breaker shrugged noncommittally. His jaw flexed as he tried not to show how affected he was. He was a confident man in general, but even he had doubts about his courtship. The Black's were veritable royalty in the Pureblood world, he was a minor Lord from a family drenched in scandal.