The Magic Does Not Lie.
 
 

Ginny was led out to where the unicorn was, her arm still in a sling but she was feeling much better now.  She smiled and boldly stepped closer.  "Good morning, precious one.  I'm Ginny and I'll be feeding you for the next few days.  Wanna sniff?"  She held out her good hand and the mother carefully sniffed her.  "I know, the bad man possessed me for a bit but they cleaned that off me.  I'm about as pure as you'll be getting around here."  The mother nodded and backed away from her son.  Ginny knelt on the floor, looking at the little colt.  "Hello.  How are you feeling?" she asked as she touched the end on his nose.  "He's warm," she reported.  "Open wide, let me look at your tongue," she ordered firmly, yet a lot like her mother would.  The unicorn opened his mouth and stuck out his tongue, making her laugh.  "Oh, you are precious," she assured him, looking at it.  "His tongue's still a bit blue but it's mostly white.  I think he needs some more water."  She gave him a gentle stroke down the mane then stood up and held a hand out for the mother.  "Want one as well?  You're very soft and look like you could use a good brushing."  She neighed and stepped closer, letting Ginny pat her on the side.  "Can I get a brush for her and the little one?" she called.

"Of course.  Let me dig them up.  We've just found the supplies down in the moat," Aunt Cordy noted, heading down to get them.  She brought them back.  "Here you are, a brush and a curry comb made of pure silver for them."  She handed them inside then went to get some more water for the dears.  Poor things.

Ginny picked up the curry comb.  "This first to get the loose hair off?"  The mother neighed so she started to work the brush.  "You'll have to tell me if I'm doing it right or not.  I've never gotten to groom even a horse in the past but I got told how to groom you by Hagrid.  He's a big sweetie as well.  Half-giant and very nice to the beasties we keep up there.  We have a stallion up at the school right now, he's a bit of a surly rump at that."  The mother shook her head.  "I know, he's a male, they're all like that sometimes."  The mother looked her in the eye.  "I know girls can be as well, I don't like girls though so I don't pay that much attention to them."  She grinned and winked.  "I've noticed you like Tara.  Should I have her sent for?  They're living further down the farm."  The mother nodded her head again.  "Sure enough.  As soon as Cordy comes back."  She got on with her cleaning of the coat.  It was extremely soft.  The shed hair went into a small pile for the house's storage, they had things they could do with it.  She moved onto the brushing, making the coat shiny and nice again, before moving onto the colt's coat.  "Here you are," she crooned.  "Getting some of the extra hair off will make you feel better.  I promise."  Cordy came back with the water, shoving in the big silver pail.  "Can you get Tara?"

"I'm not sure she could get near them either.  She does like girls in that way, Ginny."

"I know but the mother seems to like Tara."  The mother unicorn clicked.  "See?"

"Of course I will," Cordy agreed.  "I'll send a house elf down for her.  Maybe he'll take Ethan back as well.  He's been lurking in the garden to catch sight of them again."

"I'm betting Ethan's never seen anything so pure in his life," Ginny offered.  "He's a Chaos person, Auntie Cordy, it's probably not part of their book of ethics."

"Good point.  I'll set him up a spot out of the way so she can come out at night and tie up that blated Devil's Snare so it won't get too close."  She hurried off to do that.

Ginny pulled the water closer so the colt could drink while she brushed him.  "There we are," she announced.  "All clean."  She looked at the mare.  "Feel like some oats?  I know it's horse food but they haven't been able to find any unicorn chow yet."  The mare nodded her head.  "Okay then, I'll go prepare some with my own hands, that way it's not house elf tainted.  Cordy said that might bother you."  She gathered the hair up and put them into her apron pocket, leaving the brush and curry comb on a shelf before leaving.  She skipped up to the house, extremely pleased with herself.  Wait until Charlie heard about this!  She handed over the hairs.  "Will it matter that it was in my pocket or on the ground?"

"No, dear, the ground was blessed," Des assured her.  "We can't use it for all purposes but for most of them it will be fine.  What did you need to do now?"

"Make them some food.  They're hungry."  Des showed her to the small stove in the corner and the supply closet for their mash.  "Thank you.  Can I floo my mom and big brother later?"

"Of course, dear.  Why don't you floo them now?  I'm sure they can wait five minutes and you'll probably want to pet that little scamp.  He was taunting the Devil's Snare last night you know."

"No, I hadn't.  That is pretty cool," Ginny admitted.  She went to call her mom.  "Hi, mom."  Her mother beamed at her.  "I'm here at Dumass Glen."  Her mother gave her a look so she held up her sling.  "Someone attacked Luna.  I broke my arm and they've got a unicorn in need here.  Since I'm about the only pure one in the family I volunteered to come help.  Luna's bringing me all my homework."

"That's fine, Ginny.  As long as you keep up and you didn't escape from the school."

"No, mum, the Headmaster sent me through with Alex," she promised.  "The little guy's got a shedding horn."

"Oh, you've got a baby?"

"And his mother," Des said as she came over.  "She's very good.  She's already brushed and watered them.  They seem to like her quite a lot."

Molly beamed.  "I'm so happy for you, Ginny.  That's very good work.  Let me know how you are each day, all right?"  Ginny nodded.  "Good girl.  Should I call Charlie?"

"I was going to, mum, but that's fine.  I suppose he'd be working?"  Her mother nodded.  "That's fine, I'll call him tonight.  I've got to make a mash for them right now.  Bye."  She waved and cut the connection.  "Honestly, does she think I'd escape the school and go somewhere she likes to visit?  That's a dumb Ron thing to do, not a smart girl thing," she said as she went back to her stove.

Des laughed.  "Mothers are all like that.  I asked my own children that same question when they called up to chat."

"I suppose, but it's still irritating.  I learned how to be crafty by watching all my brothers get into trouble."  Des burst out in giggles.  "What?  I did," she offered, looking hurt.  Des pointed outside.  So Ginny went up on tiptoes to look.  "Oh, dear."  Ethan was outside.  The baby unicorn had just kicked him and was now nuzzling his stomach.  "Does that mean Ethan's purer now or is the baby tainted?"

"The baby's tainted but Ethan's got the most adorable look on his face.  Hurry and get me the camera.  Alex will love this one."  A house elf rushed off to get it, bringing it back.  "Thank you."  She took a few through the window then went to the door.  "Ethan," she called.  He gave her a shocked look and she snapped that one as well.  "You'll be fine, just don't let him jump you."  She handed the camera off to Ginny then helped her learn how to prepare their special unicorn mush.

***

Luna came out of the floo and looked around, then nodded.  The room was being repainted a nice color.  Alex was losing his den apparently.  She smiled at the house elf.  "Where is Ginny?" she asked.

"Ginny outside with baby.  Baby sick," it said sadly.  "Liked monster man."  She went back to adding the light blue paint.

"Thank you."  Luna headed outside, giving Ginny her backpack.  "Yours.  Only two assignments and McGonagall was nice enough to give you some ahead.  Hagrid said to write a paper.  Sprout said to work with the Devil's Snare and the other plants."  She grinned.  "Flitwick said he wasn't sure what we were doing next week now that the brat destroyed his classroom but he'd figure something out and you could make it up."  She plopped down and looked at the baby unicorn.  "I'd pat you but I'd probably hurt you."

"Oh, I don't know, he pounced Ethan earlier," Ginny said, putting her bag aside.  "Didn't you, Homer?"

"You've named him?" Luna asked.

"I couldn't call him 'hey you'.  He's too important of a magical beast to do that too," Ginny reminded her.  "So he's Homer and his mother is Lily.  Harry won't mind in the least that I named it after his mum."  She stroked down the velvety nose, making the baby sneeze.  "I'm colt-sitting so his mother could go down to the lake by herself for a bit.  Then I've got to call Charlie and brag to him."

"We've got a fire pit out here," Des said from the doorway.  "You can use it.  We don't allow them in the house, haven't since Xander's older sister Katya used to bring in the one she was bottle raising."  She grinned at the shocked look Luna had.  "They do have some rejection but that one's mother died saving her.  Ethan and Wesley are down at their cottage waiting on you, dear.  How long did you have?"

Luna grinned.  "I was told to be back by breakfast.  Professor Flitwick is very understanding.  Being changed into a human-sized flobber worm is upsetting."  She stood up and dusted herself off.  "Later, Homer.  Have fun monopolizing Ginny.  She's a great friend."  She winked at her friend and jogged off, heading down to the small cottage Ethan and Tara had built using a fairly odd building spell.  She walked in, startling Tara.  "Hi. Not up playing with the unicorns?"

"I frolicked in the fields earlier," Tara admitted with a grin.  "Ethan's upstairs thinking.  Wesley's locked himself in the kitchen to cook something."

"Cool beans," Luna agreed, heading up to help her honey think.  She was very good at it.  She tapped lightly on the door, seeing Ethan jump a bit before smiling at her.  "You really didn't taint the colt.  Shedding horns is a common sign of tainting.  As is the fever.  He was probably bitten by a wolf."  She walked over and gave him a light kiss.  "Feel better?"  He nodded, holding her closely.  "I need you to give me mean ideas, Ethan.  Some brat turned me into a flobber worm.  I nearly got stepped on in the ruckus."  He chuckled and stroked her back. "Yes, I need those sort of ideas," she grinned, looking down at her meal to come.  "You always give me the best ideas when we go off together," she reminded him, sliding around him to tease the back of him.  He shivered, starting to sweat.  "Ethan, are you scared of me?" she teased.

"I'm very scared for you, Luna," he admitted.  "You make me think bad things.  I've had some absolutely horrid thoughts recently."

"Any you care to share?" she asked as she leaned against his back, her breasts brushing the back of his neck.

"No," he admitted, looking down at himself.  "I'm old, Luna."

"Nonsense.  We live longer."

"No, you live longer.  My life expectancy is about up."  He looked up at her as she walked back around him to sit on his lap.  "Chaos wants the young and the firm."

"You're very young and firm," she reminded him.  "Besides, if Janus turns away from you then I'll take you."  She gave him a light kiss.  "Just because most of you panic at the first sight of a gray hair and suddenly become stupid doesn't mean you will.  You don't have to panic or plan on going out with a bang.  At least not unless you want to set off some fireworks while we go at it.  I've read your star chart in the approved manner and found that you will die during sex, probably with me."  He smiled at that.  "So let's get on with shortening your life span," she offered.

He laughed.  "That is an original line," he said, giving her a light kiss.  "What will you do if I'm right?"

"Keep Wesley on a shorter leash and put up a shrine to your memory so you can come back to me once you switch over to a demonic status.  I know you're smart enough to want that."  He nodded, leaning in to kiss her.  "See, I do have brilliant ideas when I'm around you."  She wiggled, straddling his lap so she could get more kisses.  "Now I know why Dawn calls our uniforms Hookers on Parade."  He laughed, hugging her tightly.  "I feel very naughty at the moment.  Not only am I young and pretty, you're older and much more mature.  Now I know why so many men have fantasies about little school girls."  He nodded, moving down to lick her throat.  He bit her and she moaned, arching her neck back.  "Is that why vampires are so wanted?"

"Mostly because they can go all night," he murmured, continuing to mark her.  He wanted to mark her so much.  He wanted to become demonic and chose her as his minion.  His for eternity, but he couldn't do that yet.  He wasn't ready.  She wasn't ready yet and neither was Wesley.  It would take another year at least.  Then who knows what he would look like.  She might forsake him.

"Quit thinking," she whispered in his ear.  "I know what you're thinking.  I'll still be there, Ethan.  I appreciate you in the same way I do my other stallion."  She stood up and pulled off her robe, tossing it behind him onto the floor.  Then she reached up and unclipped her hair, making him moan.  "Should I try to be naughty for you?" she teased.

"Please," he croaked, holding out a hand.  "One more kiss first, Luna."  She sat across his lap again, giving him another long kiss.  Then he let her go.  "Show me?"

"Of course I will," she reminded him.  She stood up and pulled off her sweater, tossing it aside.  Underneath was her plain white shirt and tie.  She slowly pulled it down and then over her head, smiling at him.  Then she undid the buttons on her shirt, standing proudly in front of him.  When she had it open, she straddled his lap again, giving him another kiss while his hands went up her back to free the back of it from her skirt.  The warm hands stroked up her back, making her shiver.  "Ethan," she moaned.

"I like the teasing, princess," he reminded her.  He blew the door shut so no one could interrupt.

"Fine, I won't bring you dinner," Wesley said from the other side.

Luna looked at it and willed it to open, smiling at him.  "Sorry, he thought you were Tara."

"She's off playing with the baby unicorn," he said dryly, bringing in the tray of soup bowls.  "I made tomato."  Then he kicked the door shut and locked it, taking off his apron.  "I left hers in the refrigerator.  When did you come in, Luna?"

"While he was thinking about getting old."  She stood up and walked over to help him out of his shirt, rubbing her partially clad body against his, her rear arched back toward her other love.  Ethan spanked her making her arch up and grin back at him.  "I can't tease him too?"

"Let him watch," Ethan ordered, pulling her back in front of him.  "Are you pretending to be a naughty school girl, Luna?"

"I am a naughty school girl.  I'm skipping out on detention in Herbology," she said proudly.  She took off the shirt, letting it fall to the ground.  Then she kicked off her shoes, leaving her stockings, skirt, bra, and panties. She sat in Ethan's lap again, going back to her kissing.  She liked kissing him, he was excellent at it.  "Wesley, sit and watch," she ordered.

"Very naughty," Ethan agreed happily, going back to his torture of her neck.

Wesley sat down, uncomfortable in his clothes when she started to moan.  He was learning a lot by watching them but he wanted some of that.  He held himself off through her tossing her hair around in passion, all the way until she stood up and bent down to tease Ethan's cock.  That did him in.  He could see right up her skirt.  She was wearing little panties and he enjoyed that quite a lot.  He slid to the floor and crawled over to tease her.  Her stance shifted but nothing more.  Ethan smirked at him and he shrugged. "She's wearing the purple set I bought her," he explained.  He put his head back under the skirt, nibbling and sucking over top of the delicate lace, making her shiver and shake while she sucked Ethan.  It was deliciously naughty and he enjoyed this game immensely.   It was one of his favorites these days.  Luna came with a moan and he shifted the lace aside so he could lap at her, cleaning her for their future enjoyment.

Ethan pulled the girl off his cock and kissed her.  "On me," he ordered.  He shimmied his pants down more and Wesley steadied her back as she slid onto him.  He groaned and grabbed her tighter, holding on as she rode him.   Her skirt was brushing his stomach with each movement, the slight scratching of the wool a nice counterpoint to the hot, warm, silky feeling he was engulfed in.  So many times he had wanted to crawl up her and be hers.  Just hers.  His focus had shifted off Wesley and to her.  She had both of them as her willing love slaves.  She arched her back and he focused on her again, noticing she was nearly there again.  Wesley was helping her along with a finger in the right spot. It was deliciously naughty of him.  What an excellent early birthday present.  He came with a soft moan into her shoulder and she shivered in his arms.  "Mine," he whispered in her ear.  "My equal.  My yang.  Mine, Luna."  She came with a ferocious growl, biting him on the neck.  He arched into her dominant move, letting her control her own passion for now.

When she came down, Wesley helped her stand up.  "As much as I like your outfit, I'd rather see you out of the skirt," Wesley said gently, helping her out of it.  She turned and kissed him hard, making him go weak in the knees.  She was for him and he wanted her so much.  He wanted her to be clean for him so he went down again, cleaning her out for his own use.  Luna was such a lovely girl, she even made Ethan gasp when he took off her panties and found she had shaved herself.

"Now I really feel the pervert," Ethan quipped, coming over to help.  He enjoyed this part of the act.  Wesley swatted at him so he went up to tease her in other ways.  She had very sensitive nipples.  "Should we force him to take you to the bed?"

"I'd rather he threw me on the bed and slid inside," she noted.  Wesley moaned, arching up into her.  She groaned, letting her head go limply backwards.  "Like that," she agreed. "More, Wesley, please?"

He stood up and picked her up, placing her onto the bed.  "I could never be that rough with you," he reminded her.  "Not outside of the bed."

"You mean you couldn't put me against the wall and have me limp within seconds?" she teased, spreading her legs.  "Wesley, I don't need a gentleman, I need a man."  She slid off the bed and attacked his mouth again, making him moan and relax.  "Gentlemanly things are wonderful, but I want the animal Wes underneath that proper top coat.  The one who enjoyed taking me on a long ride on his bike by the ocean."

Ethan smirked.  "Had her on the bike?"

"Hush, pervert," Wesley commanded.  "Are you sure, Luna?  I don't want to hurt you and you know I lose control."

"Control is bad, Wesley," she said solemnly.  "Control is for those Watcher blokes, the ones who can't pull their heads outta their arses.  Remember, you've learned better since then."  He shivered and picked her up, tossing her onto the bed, following her down to attack her snatch again, licking and sucking like he was going to be there all day and he was starving.  She watched as Ethan turned his chair around to watch them.  "Not going to help?" she teased.

"No, I'd rather watch," he admitted.  "I'll have you later, imp."

Wesley looked at him, licking his lips.  "I plan on leaving her limp and sated.  You may have to find something else to do with that."  Then he grinned ferally and undid his pants, sliding into her.  She squealed, arching up into his touches.  "You are mine, Luna.  I will make sure of it.  Otherwise I will get angry and destroy things."  She came at that pronouncement.  No one had ever wanted to destroy or build for her before.  Wesley continued, giving her what she wanted and needed, making her keen with need and desire.  By the time he was ready to blow off she was more than begging.  She was scratching his back, kicking him with her heels, begging for him to go deeper, or faster, or something.  This was the Luna he enjoyed having under him, she brought out the animal in him.  He leaned down and carefully bit her on the breast, marking her as his as he came.  She screamed, arching up into him, begging for that last inch in that breathless little voice she used with them.  When he was done, he went down on her one last time, giving her a little nip to the clitoris.  It was all she needed, she passed out under him, a content smile on her face.  Wesley looked at Ethan, who was hard, leaking, and panting.  "Did you need something?" he taunted.

Ethan slicked himself up and said a quick lubrication charm for his mate before sliding into him.  "You fucking tease," he ground out.  "I love it when you do that to her!  This is what we needed."  He continued, getting them both closer and closer.  He came first, still muttering about how Wesley was going to drive him to death one of these days.  When he looked down, Luna was gently sucking on Wesley, making him go off that way.  "Mine," he warned, pulling her off him and taking that for himself.  Wesley was his this time. She had already had an infusion of him.  Wesley's breath hitched, then stopped for a moment before he came.  Not a flood, just a few dribbles, but more than enough for his needs.  Ethan slid to the bed, holding Wesley between him and Luna.  "Precious," he soothed, stroking them both gently.  "Thank you, I needed that."

"We all did," Luna admitted, leaning across Wesley to kiss him.  Then she kissed Wesley when he pinched her nipple. "You're my favorite sleep aid, Wesley. You always knock me out."  She laid down on top of his chest, making sure she was in a pleasing position that also was teasingly hiding Wesley's body.  Ethan liked to be visually stimulated.

"Luna, as much as I like your posing, I can't breathe," Wesley noted, flipping them over so he could lay on her chest.  It was just the right size to make good pillow and Ethan liked sleeping with his head on her stomach.   Some day soon, Ethan would want her stomach to swell for him but Wesley was hoping she held that off for a while longer.  He adored her this way.  She was his kitten.  He knew her house badge was an eagle but she was his lioness.  "You are my world," he admitted to her heartbeat.

"And you're my insanity, which makes me free," she reminded him.  "Not just a book nerd but a real woman."  She pulled his head up and kissed him.  "You nap, Wes, you deserve it.  You were very athletic."  He blushed and put his head back down, snuggling in until he was comfortable.

They drifted off to sleep together, content with this arrangement.

***

Xander looked at his mate, then up at the sky.  No wonder he felt so odd.  It was the new moon, the time of claiming and of holding your possessions to make sure the world started over again.  Or at least it always had been for him.    Moon dark was a special time to him, it called out to him to frolic in the chill air outside.  It called to him to make Draco frolic with him outside in the chill air.  "I feel like Oz," he muttered, stamping down the urge.

"Why do you feel like a werewolf with odd hair?" Draco asked from the couch.  His headache was better now, he felt peaceful and calm thanks to the medicine.

"Because sometimes the moon calls out to me," Xander said quietly, walking over to his mate's side.  "I've always done my rites of renewal during moon dark.  It's a special time for me, Draco, and I feel the call.  I may be out of step with the rest of the magical world, but to me full moon is to celebrate and moon dark is to hold on and frolic.  To embrace and to prod the world on."

Draco looked at him, slowly putting his book aside.  "Is this some sort of thing from your past life?"

"I reveled at moon dark before I consciously knew what magic was," Xander vowed.  He pulled off his robe and vest, then grabbed Draco, pulling him up.  "Come with me?" he asked with a shy grin.  "Please?"

"It's cold outside, Alex," Draco said gently, touching the side of his face.

"We can cure cold, Draco, I *need* this.  Please?"

"As long as my headache doesn't come back," Draco allowed, taking off his own vest and robe.  He thought about it and changed their clothes to something a bit more flimsy, something more causal.  His wand was tuck in his waistband and Alex's main one was as well.  Then his mate pulled him outside through a tunnel he hadn't known about.  Outside onto the pitch, then across it and through the woods.  It all blurred so quickly, it was like they were flying they were running so fast.  They entered a clearing, one that felt safe and peaceful and Alex let him go, turning to look at him.  "What is this place?"

"Someplace I found my first year," Xander said proudly.  "None of the creatures can enter."  He took off his shirt and created a fire in the center of the clearing, then pulled his mate closer, taking the wands and putting them onto his shirt before pulling Draco's off him and tossing it aside as well.  "Play with me," he said, beginning to move in a rhythm only he could hear.  Draco gave him a funny look but played along; it was up to Xander to show him what to do.  Why they celebrated moon dark and why it moved the world on.  He grabbed his mate, moving him against his body, forcing him to move in the rhythm.  "Let yourself feel the magical currents, Draco," he whispered in his ear as they danced.  "They provide the music for the celebration.  That is why we celebrate."

Draco groaned, letting go of all his controls.  Off to their side, Hogwarts shined a brilliant pale grey light.  To their right, the fire shone blue, a different sort of power.  All around them were wisps of magic, flowing and dancing along with them.  He had never been able to see them this way before.  Before they were like lines, faint and two-dimensional.  Now they were like traces of a fog that no one else could see.  He could see their movements on the winds of power.  No mortal or earthly wind stirred them, not even their own breaths, the magic danced on a wind much older than that.  He picked one and followed it, moving along and dancing with it like it was his partner.  At one point, it brushed his skin and he felt energized.  Renewal, like his mate had said.  In the back of his mind, things were whispered, truths he had begged to be real.  He could see the colors of Xander's love for him, all the spectrum.  Right now, it was bordering between teaching him something new and love.  Carnal love.  He let go of his current partner and picked another, one to take him back to his mate's side.  "You are as magical as the power," he vowed, stealing a kiss.

Xander looked shocked but went along with it.  "You are mine," Xander told him.  "All mine and only mine."  He claimed his mate, crushing him to his body as they dance along, still following the magic.  This was his rite, his time.  Draco could feel and see things he could barely sense but this was his time.  His rite of claiming and being claimed.

"Shh.  The magic shows me what you feel," Draco soothed, calming Xander down.  "I already wear your claim."  He tilted his head to the side, letting him see the bruise he had sucked on last night.  "That is your mark."

"My mark, now my scent," Xander said, stripping them as they continued around the fire.  The dance became more rubbing than anything else, making him want this more than anything.  Draco would be his.  He would finally get to claim his mate.  He had tried with the others but they had backed off.  Draco would not back off, he could feel it, sense it within his soul.  Draco was the one his soul cried out for and it was going to get him.  Suddenly, the magic stilled around them.  Xander took the opportunity to lower them to the ground.  "Time stops before moving on," he whispered as he moved his lover underneath him.  "Mortals do not realize but we feel it, out here with the magic, alone with it.  Time stops each month and we are one with it."   He nipped and bit his way down his mate's body, making him arch up and cry out.  "Shh, only more marks."

"Mark me," Draco begged.  He understood.  He knew what was going to happen.  Then he would get his chance.   Xander pushed his way inside, barely preparing him, claiming him honestly, strongly, forcefully.  This is what he had been craving.  His voice crawled up and down the scale as they moved against each other, this primal dance a different one than the one they had been doing.  This one was about giving and taking and Draco could feel his body, his powers, his innate gifts, screaming with the need to suck Xander's body inside him deeper, until he could taste him.  With one last push, Xander came and Draco reared up, biting him on the neck, making him howl in pain and pleasure.  It was the perfect moment in the union.  Then the magic slowly started up again as they came down.  Draco slipped free and grabbed a wand, using it to prepare his mate gently.  This was the time for comforting touches, for splendid caresses, for touching and feeling as life was reborn for another cycle.  He slid inside his mate, looking down at him. "I am yours," he repeated, over and over until Xander was chanting it with him.  The same phrase, binding them together.  A private vow that was needed and yet unnecessary between them.  He understood now.  As his powers reached out to suck in the lust and energy Xander was giving off, he took in some of his emotions as well.  He could feel what he felt, every imperfection and doubt, each desire and longing, each truth and untruth he held inside him.  It was all his.  He came with that knowledge solidly inside him, starting a new, gentler month.

He laid down to hold his mate, careful with him.  He was a fragile creature.  He had never understood how fragile Xander was before but now he knew and understood.  He was Xander's strength and reason for continuing.  He was the reason Xander moved forward instead of sulking in his past.  And for him, Xander was the person who held the strings on his kite, his jailer and releaser at the same time.  The magic settled down as dawn came closer, sinking back into the ground.  He rebuilt his controls and the magic slowly faded from his view.  "Next month?" he whispered.

"I've tried to celebrate it each month but I never had anyone who understood," Xander whispered back, giving him a squeeze.  "This month the attacks will occur.  I saw them.  The magic knew."

"It knew more than that, love.  It knew you had children."  He stole a kiss, grinning at him.  "You are the best cure for my headache."

"You understand.  You're my cure for everything."  Xander brushed a strand of hair off Draco's cheek and then kissed him again.  "I need a nap."

"Then we'll nap.  Dancing takes a lot of energy."  He settled in to snuggle.  It was the best and only way.

***

In the castle, Dumbledore put out his light.  He had felt the magic respond to the primal call and was happy for the couple.  Very few felt the call of the magic in that manner.  Only two that he knew of.  The other was in his own place.  A sacred and holy place known only to him.  The world would move on once the sun was up, everything was right.

In his own clearing, Severus Snape looked up at the shrouded moon.  "You taunt me," he cried.  "Why?  I have always honored you."  He bowed his head.  The magic didn't lie.  The visions he got were the truth.  He was not who he thought.  His nature was telling instead of his mind or his will.  His life was about to change in ways that no one but himself could understand.  And it had to change before the attacks.  Or else all would be lost.

He would accept this truth and build upon it.  There was no other way for him now.  The magic had spoken.

***

Not far away, a woman woke up screaming and holding her stomach.  "Oh, shit!" she yelled, panting and rocking slightly.  Her twins sat up to help her, rubbing and stroking her to calm her down again.

The End.