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Lycanthrope Factory	By : StarLightMassacre Category: Anita Blake > Crossovers > AB/Harry Potter Views: 23091 -:- Recommendations : 1 -:- Currently Reading : 7
Disclaimer: I do not own anything from Harry Potter; all rights go to J. K. Rowling. I do not own anything from Anita Blake: Vampire Hunter; all rights belong to Laurel K. Hamilton. I make no money for this piece of fictional writing and never will.

Chapter List
- 17
- 18
Last Time

She couldn’t wait to teach him more, to watch him grow into a real adult, all of his own. His budding personality, his odd quirks, his own person. Given a few more years to come into himself, he would be a different person to the small, huddled boy who had first been brought to the Circus, and she couldn’t wait to see him when he grew into that person. But for now, work called her away and she would have to fight again to make the city safe, to keep Harry safe. She would do her all, always, to protect those who she loved and that now included Harry, the boy who had wormed his way right into her heart and had planted himself there. She would never do any less and she would give her very life if it was needed, as long as those that she loved were kept safe.

Epilogue

Harry James Zeeman, formerly Potter, smiled as he jogged the last few feet to the steel door and he knocked on it sharply. It opened almost immediately and Harry greeted Graham, a werewolf, happily with a chin rub and a soft growl, but he didn’t stop as he carried on down to the underground.
There was no way that he could sneak up on anyone, they could already scent him, hear his heartbeat and his shoes on the floor, but he enjoyed barrelling into people instead. Today it was Nicky, a big, burly werelion with biceps bigger than Harry’s waist who had joined their ever growing family just a few years ago. Harry giggled.

“Hey, Nicky.”

“I’m going to accidentally lash back at you if you keep sneaking up on me!” Nicky growled.

“No you won’t.” Harry played off. “You knew it was me and you’d never hurt me, Anita would kill you.” He said easily.

Nicky growled and hefted him up, crushing him in a hug as Harry laughed and wrapped Nicky up in a hug just as tight before laying a sweet kiss on Nicky’s cheek before he was placed back on the floor.

“How has your day been, mon petit pétale?” Jean-Claude asked him.

Harry blushed and ducked his head as he grinned. “It was good. I had coffee with someone today, we’re going on a date later tonight.”

That stopped everyone short as he’d never had a date before.

“With who?” Richard growled protectively.

“A girl.” Harry tried to play off.

“Well, what’s she like, is she pretty?” Jason asked with a grin.

“Where did you meet her?” Asher demanded just as protectively.

“She’s very pretty and she’s nice to me. I saw some other girls hurt her and I didn’t like it, so I told them to go away and took her for coffee. Her name’s Lila.”

“How old is Lila?” Richard asked worriedly.

“Twenty-two.” Harry looked worried then, because Richard was worried. “Is that too young? Should I not like her?”

“She knows that you’re almost twenty-seven?” Richard asked and Harry nodded. “That’s fine, Harry. I would like to meet her though.”

“She’s a vet.” Harry burst out happily. “She showed me some pictures of her patients on her phone and she gave me half her cookie too! I bought us both a cookie, but she gave me half of hers too! She made me happy.”

Richard sighed and he tried to be happy for Harry. Truthfully they’d all been expecting this to happen, for perhaps the last few years now, for Harry to announce that he had started dating, or at the very least that he’d connected to some other people, but it had still come as a shock to hear the words come from Harry’s mouth.

“I shall have the perfect outfit laid out for you, mon petit pétale.” Jean-Claude told him.

Harry grinned. “Thank you. Nothing too over the top though, okay?” He said, well aware of what Jean-Claude considered a good outfit by now. “I don’t want to scare her away. Everyone already thinks I’m odd.”

“Who thinks as such?” Asher demanded.

“Everyone I work with.” Harry insisted.

Richard had been so proud of Harry when he’d gotten himself a volunteer job at a homeless shelter ‘because he wanted to help people as he’d been helped’ only for the young boy to go on to set up his own business, with Jean-Claude’s help and expertise in business, catering to those in need. He still volunteered at the shelter, and at the furry coalition too, but their brilliant, smart young boy had dedicated his life to helping others and all of them were so proud of him.

“The volunteer job or the one that you’re actually boss of?” Nicky asked, a dark look on his face that promised pain to anyone who’d hurt Harry.

“The volunteer one.” Harry said. “Some of the other volunteers don’t like me, but all of those seeking help do like me.” He said happily. “They matter the most, so I won’t give up helping them just because other people don’t like me…they’re not there to like me, we’re all there to help those who need it.”

Richard smiled at the young man who he saw as his own son. Harry had been calling him ‘Dad’ for about five years now and he’d never been happier, nor prouder, to have Harry as his son. Of course his Mother, Charlotte, adored Harry. She’d been horrified when he’d explained Harry’s backstory to her and told her exactly how the young boy had fallen into his care and just how he’d come to be so small and scared. He’d introduced them gently and calmly in slow intervals so that Harry didn’t worry or panic, he’d started with just his Mother at first and then slowly to the rest of his family. He was one of them now, Harry had taken his last name and Richard had formally adopted him. There had been nothing to worry about though, Harry had loved Charlotte from the very first moment of meeting her.
Now Harry often went to visit his Grandmother without needing anyone to take him or hold his hand. He no longer got lost and he had come on so well that he was able to navigate himself around by himself. He was talking about going for driving lessons soon and Richard was so happy for him. He could still remember a time when Harry couldn’t stand up straight, when he wouldn’t sleep without him and Asher in the bed with him and didn’t know how to eat solid food.

“Take no notice of them.” Richard encouraged Harry gently. “As you said, you’re there to help those who need it, not please people who don’t matter and should know better.”

Harry smiled widely. “Is Rafael around?” He asked.

“Are you having trouble controlling your rat?” Richard asked seriously.

“No, I just smelt something new today and I wanted to ask about it.”

“He’ll be here a bit later, mon petit pétale.” Jean-Claude told him. “If it was nothing serious, of course.”

“No.” Harry shook his head. “I’ve just never smelt it before and I wanted to ask, that’s all.”

Richard still remembered the day that it had come to light that while Harry had been locked up in the Nebraska factory, that he’d been given even more lycanthropy strains to juggle. He’d been injected with Were-XII and Were-XIV, the strains for wererat and werelion. Harry’s body, against all logic and scientific proof, had accepted both, when it was supposedly impossible for a wereanimal to gain another strain of lycanthropy after their first shift.
Rafael took amazing care of Harry, now one of his own rats, teaching him and protecting him, but then he’d been a Father before he’d been turned…afterwards his Wife, unable to deal with Rafael’s lycanthropy, had divorced him and had moved out of state. Rafael could only see his son twice a year and only then under strict supervision. Richard fully believed that Rafael had started to channel all that care and love for the son that he couldn’t see, into Harry, who loved and adored him.
As Harry was also a werelion, he fell under Nicky’s protection too, as the local Rex. Nicky, being a main lover of Anita, being the Rex to her Regina, was exceptionally protective of Harry in a physical sense…not so much an emotional one as Nicky was a sociopath and had no normal emotions, but despite that he was still a better option to Haven, whom Harry hadn’t liked and had been terrified of. It emerged later that Haven had been abusing the lion pride, including Harry, and Anita had killed him when he’d tried to kill Nathaniel in a huge bust up that had come about when Harry had come running to Anita for protection, sobbing that Haven was trying to kill him, Travis, and Noel, three of the weakest, youngest pride members. Harry and Travis had healed from their ordeal, Noel had died to protect Nathaniel. Nicky had taken over the position of Rex straight afterwards and he’d started properly teaching Harry what it was to be a lion.

“Where are my pencils?” Harry demanded as he looked around the living room.

Richard snapped back into the present and he smiled as everyone jumped to find Harry his pencils. Nicky found them tucked in a corner of the living room, where Harry had ‘put them safe’ and then forgotten about it.
Harry had never given up his love of colouring, though he had moved on from the children’s books and now he had more adult colouring books, ones that were more difficult and took greater skill and coordination to colour in. Thankfully Harry had gotten better and more coordinated at colouring than when he’d first come to them and as he sat on the floor at the coffee table and opened the rather difficult book of ocean themed pictures, he showed off his talents at colouring now as he took excessive care with picking his colours and keeping inside the lines. He insisted that it relaxed him and kept him happy. No one would ever dare say anything against something that made Harry happy.
Instead, Richard sat back down, right behind Harry, and he started playing with his hair. When Harry was younger, and his brain to mouth filter was much looser and he’d always say what he was thinking, he’d always told him that he couldn’t play with his hair as good as Jean-Claude did, but he’d always insist that that didn’t mean that he wanted him to stop. Now Harry just sat relatively still, colouring his pictures and purring as Richard stroked his scalp with gentle fingers.

“Will Anita be home before my date?” Harry asked.

“I’m not sure, Harry. It depends on how many raisings she’ll have tonight.”

“Okay, I was just asking.” Harry said. “I’d like her to be here, but if she can’t I understand.”

Richard smiled down at the boy between his knees and he felt so much overwhelming love for him that he couldn’t resist bending down and kissing the top of his head.

“Don’t forget to shower before your date. What time are you going?” He asked.

“Six O’clock. I don’t want to keep her out too late, her parents might worry, but I want to spend more than an hour with her so I know better what she’s like.”

“I hope everything goes well for you, just remember your manners.”

“I’ll be a proper gentleman.” Harry insisted.

Richard still remembered when Harry had learnt to use a proper knife and fork, when he could eat normal food from a plate and not merely spoon pureed mush into his mouth from a bowl. It had taken several months, endless lessons on how to hold the knife and fork and how to use them, but between them, they hadn’t once given up, and now Harry was perfectly able to use a knife and fork properly, he could eat properly and he could drink from a glass.
He could hold a normal conversation, even if the topics did change or jump around a bit and sometimes, Harry got lost on his own tangent and forgot to allow others to speak, though he’d gotten more tolerable of topics of conversation that he had no interest in, recognising, at last, that just because he didn’t like something, didn’t mean that others felt the same way.

“Remember to let her talk too.” Jason said kindly.

“I’ve gotten better at that!” Harry insisted, affronted.

“You have, just don’t get so excited that you don’t let her talk too, and ask her about her animals.”

“I was going to!” Harry said indignantly. “I asked about her job and her patients when I took her for coffee. When I saw they were in cages, like I used to be, I asked her how they were treated and she showed me videos of her playing and cuddling them. They make sick animals better where she works. There was nothing wrong with me to begin with.” He said sadly. “Lila makes sick animals well again. The doctors took me when I was well and made me worse.”

Richard bent over Harry and kissed his head. “We love you, Harry.”

“You’re all like Lila. You got me when I was sick and you’re making me better.”

“We’re always going to be here for you.” Richard promised.

Harry nodded, even as he put down one blue pencil to pick up a darker blue pencil. He had learnt the different shades and how to use them in his colouring.

“I don’t know what would happen if I never had any of you with me.” He said quietly. “I think I’d be dead because I didn’t know how to do anything like feed myself or look after myself. I couldn’t even walk properly.”

“You do have us.” Asher said fiercely.

Harry nodded and spared a smile for Asher from his colouring book. “I know. But if I didn’t have any of you, I don’t think anyone else would have cared enough for me to have made me better. I know from work that there’s not enough people who care in the world.”

Richard didn’t know what to say to that. If it hadn’t been for them then Harry would have been locked up in a lycanthrope safe house. Supposedly it was only until the new wereanimal learnt to control themselves, but those who got sent to a safe house never came back out. In the eyes of the government, they would never gain enough control to be free to roam with the human populace.
Richard couldn’t imagine Harry being moved from one prison to another, he couldn’t imagine how scared he would have been, back at the very beginning when all he knew was pain, horror and daily experimentation. To be taken from that and then put in a safe house, where he would not have been cared for and likely locked in a padded room in a reinforced straight jacket just to keep him from trouble. He took in a deeper breath and played with Harry’s hair. He liked it kept long, after so many years of it being shorn to stubble, but he didn’t like it to go past his shoulders, as he didn’t like caring for it too much. He knew enough to comb it and how to put in some of the jewelled clips he liked, that Jean-Claude insisted on buying for him, but that was the extent of Harry’s willingness to care for his hair. He much preferred other people to sort it out for him, then he had always liked them playing with his hair and massaging his scalp.

“We would never have saved you and then abandoned you.” Richard said once he was sure that he could control his voice. “You’re ours now.”

Harry tipped his head back and grinned up at him. “I like being here. It’s the greatest!”

Richard chuckled and used his fingertips to rub over the front of Harry’s head, brushing the hair back from his forehead, exposing the curious scar there. They had never figured out how he’d gotten it, and Harry it seemed didn’t know himself.

“Do…do you think Lila will be disgusted if I tell her I have to feed from blood every now and then?” Harry asked insecurely.

“You should tell her, but not right away.” Richard said. “Wait until she knows you a bit better first then you can sit down and explain it to her better.”

Harry nodded. “But do you think she won’t like me anymore when I tell her?” He persisted.

Richard didn’t know what to say. He didn’t know this Lila, part of the reason why he wanted to meet her and scope her out, so to say. For all any of them knew, she could be a member or a sympathiser of Humans First, or she could be a normal human who just didn’t like vampires, wereanimals or other preternaturals and she would run as soon as Harry told her. It would be disastrous for Harry’s self-esteem if that happened, this Lila would be his first attempt at a relationship. It would be fair enough if they tried at it and then decided to break up, but if she ran as soon as Harry told her about what he was, about what had been done to him and what he needed to stay healthy, namely to drink blood at least once a week, then that would crush Harry and all the confidence they had cultivated within him over the years. He had never realised exactly how fragile that confidence was until now, how very little it would take to smash it to pieces and leave Harry in ruins. All of a sudden he wanted to keep Harry close to his chest, to tell him that going on this date with Lila was not a good idea.
It was Nathaniel who took that pleading, crumpled expression and turned it around, giving Harry what he needed as he crouched in front of Harry, placed both hands on either shoulder to establish contact, and he smiled.

“You can’t force her to like you, Harry.” Nathaniel said quietly. “Either she will or she won’t, but that’s true for everyone you meet. You said yourself that not everyone you work with likes you, but you don’t let that bother you. If you tell Lila and she can’t get over it, then you come right back to us and we’ll give you lots of ice cream to make you feel better, but remember, just because she doesn’t like you, doesn’t mean that no one else will. I went through so many girl and boy friends, so many lovers thinking that they would be the one. Thinking that they truly loved me, that they’d take care of me, but it wasn’t until years later, when I found Anita and Micah that I really understood love and what it was like to have someone who loved you so much. You shouldn’t give up just because Lila might not like you. There are going to be so many others and you will find someone among them to love you as you love them. After all, I found love and I was the biggest mess I’ve ever met. If I can find two people to love me so much, then of course you can.”

“I love you too, Mum.” Harry said, reaching forward and hugging Nathaniel tight.

Nathaniel kissed Harry’s head. “Just remember, go on this date to enjoy yourself and if it doesn’t work out, there’s always more dates, more people, more fun to be had. If Lila isn’t the one, then perhaps someone else, who is much more perfect for you, is still out there waiting.”

Harry grinned then and he seemed so much more reassured that Richard had to give Nathaniel’s elbow a touch in thanks. He’d gotten used to the boy over the years, had gotten used to his relationship with Micah and Anita and he’d made his peace with it. He had loved Anita enough to propose to her once, but he had moved on from that now. Now he had Harry, his son, who looked at him with such adoration and awe that he had to come first in his life, and now, he always would.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ X

Anita was tired when she finally made it back to the Circus, mostly to pick up Nicky, Micah and Nathaniel, maybe Harry too if he wanted to come to her house for the night.
She knew something was wrong when she wasn’t immediately barrelled from her feet as she walked into Jean-Claude’s living room. She took a look around and all she was were worried, nervous faces and no Harry in sight. Her heart missed a beat.

“Where is Harry?” She demanded.

“He’s alright, we think.” Micah sighed. “He’s got a date with a girl named Lila. He should be home soon.”

Anita noticed several of them glance at the clock as it approached eight at night.

“It seems so sudden.” She said. “How did he meet this girl?”

“She was being bullied by several other girls and Harry intervened and then took her for a coffee and a chat. They got on rather well, so he asked her to dinner that same night. She agreed, gave him her number and off he’s gone.” Richard said, trying to look relaxed, even as he marked school work, but failing as he took looked at his watch every several seconds.

“He’s worried about having to tell her that he’s got lycanthropy and vampirism, namely that he has to drink blood every week.” Nathaniel said, staring at his cell, that he had placed on the coffee table in front of him, the better to watch it, obviously expecting a call.

“Do we know anything about this girl?” Anita demanded.

“She’s twenty-two and a vet. Likely a trainee nurse just out of university. Or perhaps even still in university if she’s yet to graduate, a doctorate usually takes four years.” Richard said. “Apparently she showed Harry pictures of her in a veterinary practice, as she was playing with her patients and there were pictures of animals in cages.”

“How did Harry react to those?” She asked, knowing that they’d hit a sore spot with Harry.

“Really well, when he saw those he asked her how the animals were treated and he was happy that they were well cared for. He likes her so much because she takes sick animals and makes them better again, as we got him when he was sick and made him better.”

“I just hope that she doesn’t explain herself as an animal doctor, that might make him like her less.” Anita sighed, finally sitting down, understanding that there was no trouble, but the nerves of Harry’s first ever date. They were likely more nervous than he was.

“He’s getting much better, especially since he’s come to see Lillian as a doctor.” Jason pointed out. “He no longer freaks out if that word is mentioned and he knows better that those people weren’t normal doctors, they were sadistic monsters.”

Anita nodded and she sat back, joining the guys on their clock watching, on listening for a cell ringing, just waiting for Harry to come home.
Perhaps it was perfect that he’d found a vet. Harry loved animals of all shapes and sizes and he loved helping. He volunteered at a homeless shelter, he volunteered at the furry coalition, he had set up his own business helping those who needed it, offering a place to sleep, a leg up to find a home or a job, or even just a nice, thick blanket.
Then there were the bird feeders that he demanded they all have in their gardens. She smiled to herself as she remembered the day Harry had whined and threw a tantrum until she had agreed to put a full on bird feeding station in her, rather considerable, back garden. Harry had so much fun filling up the feeders and the bird bath every morning, putting out stale bread and seeds. Of course he didn’t stop there, he had always loved flowers, the prettier the better, but when he’d heard that flowers helped the bees, he’d started digging trenches in her back yard.
When she had, as patiently as she could, asked him what he was doing, he’d told her with that pleading look of his, that he was making flowerbeds for the bees. She had sighed, but ultimately given in, anything that kept Harry happy kept all of them happy and if he wanted to keep himself quiet and out of trouble for several weeks making flowerbeds, then so be it.
Micah had taken Harry to the garden centre that afternoon, getting him topsoil and gardening tools, plant feed and then as many pots of different flowers as they could fit in the car. He had spent the next few weeks planting wild lilac, marigolds, daisies, hyacinths and a hundred other bright, nectar bearing flowers that she couldn’t name. He’d even sectioned off a part of his flowerbed for a little herb garden, which Nathaniel was excited about as the main cook for them.
Harry took great care with his little garden and that it had the added bonus of drawing in butterflies, of which Harry also loved, the results certainly were worth it. She had to admit also that the garden looked so much better too, it was more alive with bees and butterflies and birds swarming all over it. It was more peaceful too, to hear nature sounds, like bees buzzing and birds singing. Harry had made plans to make some birdhouses and nesting boxes with his own hands for next Spring too. Perhaps he could bond with this Lila over that and they could make birdhouses together.
It was almost half eight before Harry came charging down the stairs and he almost snapped Jason’s neck barrelling into him and taking them both to the floor. He was grinning widely, so it seemed his date had gone really well.
He sat up, straddling Jason’s waist and he started talking so quickly that he was sprouting gibberish. Jason sat up, covered his mouth and then moved them both to sit by the coffee table.

“Calm down and slow your words.” Jason encouraged. “I take it that your date went well?”

Harry nodded enthusiastically. “She’s wonderful!” He said happily. “She thinks I’m funny too. In a good way, not a bad way. She laughed at all my stories, not a lot of people do that because they don’t understand or think they’re silly.”

“Are you going to see her again?” Jason asked.

Harry nodded just as enthusiastically. “She’s in work now for two days, so I have to wait, but she said I can come in on the second day to see the animals and pick her up for an early dinner and a movie. I told her that she could pick the restaurant, but I would pay. That was right, wasn’t it?”

“It was, well done.” Richard said with a smile.

“I offered to pay today, but she said that we would split the bill today, because it was our first date. I didn’t want to fight or argue, so I agreed, was that okay too?”

“Yes, Harry.” Anita said. “Sometimes a woman wants to pay for dinner too, and they should always offer, even if they are declined.”

Harry nodded at the quick lesson on dating. He’d been very nervous on his date, as he’d been on his first few days of going to his special school, where he’d gotten his diploma to say that he’d finished all his education. He remembered that day, he had been so excited, all his family had been excited and it had been a day that he truly felt normal. Like none of his past had even happened and he’d never been the small, shrunken little boy stuck in a cage.
Today, sitting at a small table with Lila, talking to her and making her laugh, listening to her and laughing at her stories too, like when a little puppy had peed on her when she was examining him, and he’d had such a nice time that he hadn’t wanted the night to end.
He had walked her home, said goodnight and given her hand a light kiss, as Jean-Claude had instructed him, and he had then almost skipped home to tell everyone the good news. He just hoped that Lila still liked him after she found out about what had happened to him, and some of his more special dietary needs.

“Was she nice to you?” Asher asked seriously.

Harry grinned. “She was really nice to me, Asher. She takes such good care of the animals, she wants to see the garden too, I can take her there, can’t I, Neeta?” He said, turning to her looking very unsure.

“Of course you can, Harry.” She insisted. “Just be careful with the weapons and ammo, remember?”

Harry nodded. “I only want to show her the garden. The bird feeder and all the flowers I planted for the bees and butterflies. She wants my help to do the same at her little house. It’s not as big, so I’ll have to plan it out again with Lila, we’re looking forward to it.”

They were looking forward to it too. Lila had been so impressed with what he’d done for the wildlife and with his plans to make bird houses, she’d told him about bat boxes too, and Harry had excitedly asked her about it and Lila had agreed to help him with those too. He couldn’t wait to get started on all his designs. He’d ask Richard or Micah to drive him back to the garden centre to get the things he needed, he’d have to be careful with the hammer and nails, he knew that, but if he got a bottle of wood glue too, perhaps he wouldn’t need to use quite so many nails.

“You can take her there whenever you want.” Anita told him.

“Just don’t bring her here to the Circus.” Harry nodded. He knew all about the security measures that surrounded the Circus and that he couldn’t bring anyone back as it would compromise the security.

“Perhaps when you have been seeing her for a while and we have all met the lovely Lila.” Jean-Claude said.

Harry smiled and he couldn’t help the little giggle that slipped out.

“Do you have a picture of her?” Jason teased.

Harry nodded and pulled out his phone. “We took selfies.”

“Took what?” Anita asked with a frown.

“Selfies.” Jason said as he waited for Harry to open his photos. “Where you use a camera to take a picture of yourself. Holy fuck, Harry, she’s gorgeous!”

Jason took Harry’s phone from him and Harry’s cheeks went pink with embarrassment as Nathaniel hung over Jason’s shoulders to look.
Anita got to see the elusive Lila when Richard all but grappled the phone from Jason. She was a young, pretty brunette with nice blue eyes. They were both smiling at the phone that Harry had clearly held out in front of him to take the picture of them both.

“You make a good couple.” Nathaniel was telling Harry as the phone made its way around them all so that they all got a good look at Lila.

Harry blushed brighter, going from pink to red. “She’s really nice.” He mumbled.

“As long as you’re happy.” Richard said with a smile. It was no surprise when Harry shifted and came to sit beside Richard, leaning on him and taking comfort. He still needed to do that, but only when he was very out of his depth, apparently sharing photos of his new girlfriend counted as being out of his depth, his very first girlfriend at that.

“Do you think she’s too pretty for me?” Harry asked Richard, though with their enhanced hearing, nearly everyone in the room heard him.

“Of course not, Harry.” Richard said. “What makes you think that?”

“It’s just, she’s really pretty and popular and everyone likes her.” He mumbled. “Compared to her I’m a social reject who everyone thinks is really weird.”

“Harry.” Richard said softly. “No, you’re a wonderful, handsome young man. You’re funny and so kind and caring. Anyone would be lucky to have you, it’s those qualities that Lila obviously sees in you.”

Anita did not like this unhappy, unsure, self-conscious Harry. His self-esteem had never been particularly high, but he’d never been concerned with such things before, not about his appearance or how others perceived him. She didn’t like this.

“What if she laughs about what I went through?”

“Who would laugh about such a thing?” Asher asked. “It is nothing to laugh over, mon ange.”

Harry looked very upset and he flumped onto Richard more, snuggling in in an attempt to soothe himself.

“What if she doesn’t like that I’ve got…got…” Harry indicated his mid-section and Anita closed her eyes.

A few years ago they had broached the subject of Harry maybe going in for surgery to have the added womb removed. He had freaked out, had two panic attacks, he’d been physically sick and he’d run and hidden, they’d found him three hours later, hiding in the rafters of the Circus. It had taken them an additional four hours to convince him to come down safely and he had begged them to never mention hospitals or surgeries again. He’d had nightmares and often woke up screaming for the next month after that incident.

“Harry.” She started gently. Richard shot her a look, warning her not to mention anything, to not broach the subject again. Those huge, green eyes looked at her, waiting for her to carry on. She sighed. “I know that you’re afraid, but you can have the womb removed.”

The fear was instantaneous, but he didn’t immediately freak out, instead he took a deep breath to calm himself down. That alone was a vast improvement.

“I’ve…I’ve been thinking of it in the last year.” He said, his voice wavering, but he was so strong now, he’d come on so well and Anita was so proud of him just for admitting to thinking of having an elective surgery after what he’d been through.

“If you wanted to go through with it, Harry, it will not be done tomorrow.” Anita told him, making her voice as soft as she could. “We would talk about it, it would be planned, you’d get to talk to the surgeon and the nurses.”

“You wouldn’t leave me?” He asked.

“Absolutely not.” Richard said from behind him, holding Harry tighter about his chest. “We would be right there when you go in and right there when you come back out.”

“I wouldn’t be awake, would I?”

“No.” They said firmly, together.

“You would be under anaesthetic, Harry.” Micah told him, coming to sit behind her, looking at Harry. “You’d be asleep through the whole procedure and you won’t even feel it, and you won’t remember it.”

Harry bit his bottom lip, they could all see and hear how quickly he was breathing. His heart was almost beating from his chest, but he was so very brave, asking after a willing surgery. They were all so proud.

“I don’t know.” He said, his shoulders hunching just a bit. “I’d need to think about it, and talk to Lillian too.”

“We can take as much time as you want, Harry, we know that this is a big step for you.” Anita told him, taking his hand and squeezing it. “We’re very proud of you for thinking about this step and for talking it through.”

“We really are.” Richard said. “If you’re serious about this, Harry, then we can talk about it all you want.”

Harry nodded. He no longer looked quite so terrified, but he was far from comfortable and his eyes were still a little too wide, but this was a huge step for him. For him to actually have been thinking of having surgery to have the misplaced womb removed, it was monumental.

“I want to know everything that will happen. Everything. I don’t want any surprises.” He said seriously, still looking frightened, but he was determined too.

“It looks like this really is going to be a new year for you.” Jason said with a grin. “Your new business, a new girlfriend and now you’re conquering your old fears. Well done.”

That made Harry smile. “Is it okay if I don’t tell Lila exactly why I’m going for surgery? I know you’re not supposed to lie to the ones you love, but…surely this is a different situation?”

“It’s a very personal surgery, I don’t think she needs to know that you’re going in to have your womb removed, perhaps just tell her that you’ll be in hospital for a few days and might not be well enough to meet up for a while. She can come and visit, but there’s no reason to tell her much. Not at this early stage.”

Harry nodded, looking a little happier. “I think…I think it’ll be a relief to finally get rid of it. It’s not meant to be there and it’s always in the back of my mind. I can’t forget about it, the only way to make it right is to have it removed, but I’m scared.”

“We’re never going to let anything happen to you.” Micah promised.

“We’ll be right there at the hospital for you, Harry.” Richard insisted.

He nodded, it was a little jerky, but he nodded and though they were all fully aware that Harry could, and most probably would, change his mind, in this moment you could see how much pride they had in him. How much love and care they had taken with him over the last ten years. He’d come on so well, and now, he might finally be rid of the womb that was never meant to be there. It truly was a massive step, but it would be one that they’d gladly all take together, every single one of them.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ X

Harry was petrified and he unashamedly clung to Richard’s hands, gripping hold and not letting go. The smell of the hospital was getting to him, the men and women in those overcoats, the familiar equipment. He was building up to a full panic attack and nothing anyone said could calm him back down.

“We’re here for you, Harry.” Richard told him.

“I’m scared!” He wailed. “I’m so scared.”

“We know. We know.” Richard soothed. “We’re still right here, we’re not going to leave you. It will all be over soon, Harry. It will seem like a moment to you, but it’ll be several hours for us, waiting for you to wake back up.”

Harry breathed quick and shallow, almost on the verge of hyperventilating and passing out. It had been eight months since that talk in the living room of the Circus. Eight months that he’d been seeing Lila. She’d wanted to come to support him, knowing of his peculiar fear of hospitals and doctors, but Harry hadn’t wanted her to see him like this. It was alright for everyone else, they had already seen him like this numerous times in the past, but Lila hadn’t and he didn’t want her to see. He had explained this to her and she’d understood. That’s what he liked so much about her, she didn’t push him too hard.
He’d told her about his past, or at least little bits of it, but as the factory he’d been in had made the news all she had to do was look it up from the pieces he’d told her, it was common knowledge that there had only been one survivor from the original factory, and that the survivor had gone to live with Anita Blake. Lila was a very clever woman, of course she figured it out. It also tied in with his fear of hospitals and doctors, and it had made Lila want to be here all the more, but Harry had been firm, he couldn’t have her there for this and though perhaps a little hurt, Lila understood. Harry would make it up to her.
He loved spending time in the garden with her and they had made several birdhouses, nesting boxes and bat boxes too. A few of them were even being used! Which had made him so excited and so happy. He tried to think of this, of these fun times with Lila. When he’d gone to her small apartment to help her make the most of the jut of balcony that she had, bringing a little touch of greenery to her windowsills and planting nectar flowers for the bees and butterflies. When he’d met her parents, who had both been so very nice and kind to him. During the summer Anita had had a barbeque in her garden and had invited Lila and her parents. Seeing his large and odd family interacting with Lila and her parents made him smile and he’d happily talked and played around, joining in all the funny games that Jason and Nathaniel had picked out for the barbeque, even though he wasn’t really a social person. That day had been an exception and laughing and joking with Lila had been perfect. He wanted more of that, not more of this.

“Try to slow your breathing, Harry.” Richard told him, looking worriedly to the heart monitor that he was hooked up to.

He couldn’t keep his legs still, he couldn’t sit quiet, his gaze was darting everywhere, almost as if he were trying to find an escape.

“I don’t think I can do this.” He said, on the very edge of having a full out panic attack.

Anita, who had steadfastly taken the day off of work, took hold of his shoulders and peered directly into his eyes.

“You can.” She told him firmly. “You have been talking about this for eight months, you have changed you mind and then changed it back again, but you chose the date, Harry, you chose the surgeon and the nursing team. You even chose which room you would be in.”

Harry looked out of the window, at the view of the bright park over the road. He had chosen this room because it had the best view. He took in a huge, ragged breath and he looked back at Anita.

“We know that you’re scared. We can see it, we can smell it. But you decided to do this, Harry.” She told him. “You have controlled this surgery as much as you can without actually doing it yourself.”

Harry managed a weak, thready chuckle at that. It came out sounding nearly hysterical.

Nathaniel climbed onto his bed and wrapped him in a hug, in all of that vanilla scented, auburn hair. It was almost like a comfort blanket to Harry and he turned, wrapping himself around his ‘mum’ tightly, still clutching at Richard’s hand.

“Everything will be alright.” Nathaniel told him. “We’ve tested you with the anaesthetic that they’re going to use, we’ve tested your skin against the equipment, you’re going to be fine, Harry. You haven’t done all that building up, all the sleepless nights and the fasting, just to go home now and not go through with it. You’re stronger than that.”

“But I’m scared.” Harry said softly. His body all but quivering with his fear. He needed to have a wee again, despite the fact he hadn’t eaten or drank anything in over twenty-four hours in preparation for his operation.

“We know, little love.” Nathaniel cooed to him, stroking his hair. “We know. But everything will be over soon. Think how much better you’ll feel when the womb that was never meant to be a part of you is gone.”

Harry nodded. It was the main reason why he was going through with this operation in the first place. He wanted that womb gone, so that he had no physical reminders of what those people had done to him. It was hard enough with his beasts, knowing that he only had them because of those doctors, but he had made peace with his beasts now. He loved them all and his family were helping him so much. Richard with his wolf, Micah with his leopard, Rafael with his rat, Nicky with his lion. He was even getting help with his tiger from a white tiger named Victor, from Las Vegas, who came to see him for a week every couple of months. Harry liked Victor.
When the anaesthetist came in with a nurse, Harry’s breath hitched and he whimpered, low and desperate in his throat. His whole body jerked and he closed his eyes, sinking back into that tiny cage, with the cries of other experiments around him, begging that the doctors kept walking, that they went past his cage and that he wouldn’t be chosen.
Distantly he heard the heart monitor go haywire and he knew it was because his heart was beating from his chest, but the scent of vanilla was still in his nose, the warm body of Nathaniel was still in front of him. Richard was still behind him. He could hear them talking, speaking to him in soft, soothing voices.

“It will all be over soon.” Richard told him, holding his wrist tightly.

Harry didn’t know why his hand was pulled out, why his wrist was being held so tightly, until a sharp pinch had his eyes widening and his memories going back to that cage, back to the tables where they would be ripped open and experimented on while they were awake and strapped down, unable to move. It took all of his willpower to remember what he’d been told. To stay still and don’t pull away from the needle or he could rip his vein.

“Well done, Harry.” Richard praised him, using his free hand to pet his hair and face. “You’ve done so well.”

“I’m so scared, dad.” He said, but his voice sounded like it was coming from the end of a long tunnel.

“I know, but it’ll all be over soon. Just go to sleep, love.” Richard encouraged. “Just let go and go to sleep.”

“Stay with me.” He said.

“We’re still here.” Anita’s voice told him.

“We will be right here when you wake up.” Micah insisted.

“I’ll find a way to sneak you a coffee when you’re awake.” Nicky told him from over by the window.

Harry heard his voice as if they were speaking through water, but he still managed a weak giggle.

“Almost done.” A closer voice, of the nurse, told him gently. “You’re so brave, Harry.”

He nodded against Nathaniel’s chest, still quivering like a leaf in a breeze, but he held very still, he didn’t pull his hand back, even though he wanted to and when the cold feeling spread from his arm to his shoulder, he started crying.

“Almost done.” The nurse said again, for the anaesthetist who was bent over and monitoring the administered anaesthetic critically.

“It’s alright, Harry.” Richard soothed. “You’re doing so well, this will all be over soon. Just a little more.”

Harry heard that comment, but from one moment to the next, he slumped over and he was fast asleep.

“There we go. We need to move fast. The OR is prepped for him, the surgeon is waiting.” The nurse said as she shooed both Richard and Nathaniel from the bed and got Harry laying down more comfortably.

Anita stood back and watched as her boy was wheeled out of the room in his bed and then there was nothing left for them to do but to wait. It would be almost excruciating to wait to hear if the operation was a success or not. Nathaniel left the room and she wondered where in the hell he was going.

“He might need the bathroom.” Micah told her and she nodded at that logic and she sighed.

“I need to call Rafael, he wanted to be kept updated.” She said, going to sit in the chair and bringing out her cell. Edward wanted to be informed too, then she’d need to call Jean-Claude when he awoke, Asher was all but having kittens about not being here for Harry’s morning operation, but Harry had decided to have it early, so he would have less time to fret and work himself up.

Rafael answered the phone before the end of the first ring. ‘How is he?’

“He’s just gone under.” She said. “It’s a waiting game now. It’ll be several hours before he wakes up, they pumped him with enough anaesthetic to take down a bull elephant. Can you let everyone know that he has gone in for the operation? Then we’ll let you know how everything is as soon as we know anything.”

‘Of course. Look after him for all of us, Anita.’ Rafael insisted.

“I will. After this he’ll have conquered one of his greatest fears. He’ll be fine and he’ll be back at the Circus in a few days.”

‘Let us know if anything happens.’

“I will.” She agreed before cutting the call and then calling Edward to tell him them same.

Nathaniel came back as she ended the call, he hadn’t been to the bathroom, he’d gone to the hot drinks vending machine and he was clutching an armful of cardboard cups of coffee and several sodas. Micah immediately moved to help him.

“I thought everyone could use a drink. Richard, I got you water.” He said, holding out the chilled bottle.

“Thank you.” Richard said, sitting himself on the floor, having called Jamil, who was at the Circus with Shang-Da, Jason and Sylvie, to tell him that Harry had done so well, that he had bravely gone under anaesthetic and that the operation was going ahead.

There were five of them in the room, the absolute maximum that the hospital would allow after their month of heavy talks and planning. Jason had steadfastly wanted to come too, but he needed to be at the Circus to feed Jean-Claude when he awoke, so he had been left behind and Nicky had come instead, more of a bodyguard than an emotional comfort to Harry, but he was a reassuring presence, especially when half of their guards had wanted to come too. Claudia and Bobby-Lee were down in the lobby as it was, waiting for them, here just in case. Anita had sent them both a text message instead of calling, so as not to blow their cover.
Now it was just waiting, endless hours of waiting and it was going to be agonising enough, waiting to see if Harry was alright, if the operation was a success, or if they’d need to do all of this again in a second operation if the anaesthetic wore off because they had to be careful how much Harry had due to the past experiments performed upon him.

“Did you message Lila?” Nathaniel asked quietly.

“Yes.” Anita said. “She’s very worried, but she’s keeping busy at work. How long it’ll take before she starts bombarding me with messages is anyone’s guess, but I’m sure her worry will win out eventually.”

Richard sighed and settled himself in for a long wait for Harry to come back. He already wanted his boy back in his arms and it hadn’t even been a half hour yet. It was going to be a long couple of hours and because of the nature of the wait, it was only going to seem that much longer. He just wanted Harry to be alright.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ X

It took two hours before a nurse came back into the room. She was smiling and immediately the fear released from all of them.

“I’m pleased to tell you that the operation was a success.” She said with a wide grin. “Harry stayed unconscious throughout, the surgeon was able to remove the unneeded organ and double checked that everything is as it should be. His vitals are still good, he has a good blood pressure and everything has gone according to text book.”

“Oh thank god.” Anita sighed.

“Can we see him?” Nathaniel asked desperately.

“He’s in recovery for the moment while we monitor him, but we’ll bring him back here as soon as were happy. You can see him then.”

“He won’t be awake, though?” Richard said. “He wanted us there when he woke up.”

“He won’t be awake for a while yet.” The nurse assured them. “We know his wishes and he will be back in this room before he wakes up if everything stays as it is now. We’re very pleased with the way everything has progressed.”

“I need to tell Jamil.” Richard said, taking out his phone.

“Rafael needs to know.” Anita agreed.

“I’ll let Merle know to tell the Pard.” Micah took his own phone out and Nathaniel snuggled in between his lovers, both on their phones, and he just let the relief wash over him. Harry was going to be fine.

Everyone had been called and told the great news, Lila had been messaged and Jean-Claude, only just awake and alert, had been told by a very happy, playful Jason, who’d been in the bed ready to feed him.
An hour after the nurse had come to tell them about the successful operation, Harry was wheeled back into the room, wired up and still asleep, but he was stirring a little.

“The anaesthetic is wearing off now, a little sooner than we thought for the dosage we gave him, but everything is still looking good.” A doctor said, examining a chart and then looking at the monitors. “He’s done really well, we got everything we needed done, so he won’t need a second operation and we’ll keep him monitored now for the next several days and we can go from there.”

“Thank you so much.” Nathaniel said gratefully, sitting on Harry’s bed while Richard pulled up a chair to the other side.

They all crowded around Harry, as he’d wanted, just waiting for the rest of the anaesthetic to wear off and for him to wake up.
He pulled several strange faces, obviously remembering what had happened to him before he went to sleep, but not knowing where he was or why.

“Harry. It’s alright.” Richard said soothingly. “Everything went well. You can wake up now.”

Harry made a grunting noise, his eyes screwed shut, his face screwed up, but he started wiggling.

“Be careful or you’ll damage your stitches.” Anita told him.

It took a bit of wheedling, a bit of coaxing and five more minutes, but those gluey eyes eventually opened and then immediately locked onto all of their faces, all five of them, before Harry’s shoulders relaxed in relief and he forced his hands up, out of his blanket, to touch them.

“Am I ‘kay?” He asked, his voice scratchy and sore sounding.

“You’re going to be just fine.” Richard told him, leaning forward and kissing his forehead. “The operation was a complete success.”

“It…it’s gone? All gone?” Harry asked, his face showing his surprised delight.

“Completely gone.” Anita told him. “Not a single trace of it left and everything else is as it should be.”

Harry smiled, the action pulling at his dry lips. Richard looked for the cup of ice balls that the nurse had left for Harry, but Nathaniel had already grabbed it and coaxed a few pieces of ice into Harry’s mouth.

“Suck them slowly.” Nathaniel said gently. “So it doesn’t make you sick.”

Harry nodded and did as he’d been told, the melting ice giving some small relief to his sore throat. He was so happy that it was a success and that he didn’t have to come back and do it again. He’d have to make a present to give to the doctors and nurses who’d looked after him, despite all his demands, crying and tantrums. They’d been so patient with him and with his fears, they’d understood better than he’d hoped and that had gone a long way to reassuring him and it had contributed to him actually deciding to go through with the operation too. He owed them so much, as he’d been terrified of having the operation, but he could no longer live with the working womb that those vile people had put inside him. Now it was gone and it was like something within him knew, like he’d just relaxed and gone boneless. It was all over now, it was gone.

“Has everyone been told?” He asked, once the woolly feeling in his brain started to ease off and he could think clearly again.

“Yes, they’re all so happy and now they just want you home. It shouldn’t be long with your healing abilities and a few shifts.” Richard told him.

“Lila too?” Harry asked.

“Yes, we told Lila too.” Anita smiled. Harry smiled back, rather goofily, but that was just the anaesthetic.

“I can’t believe it’s gone.” He said and went to put his hand on his belly. It was caught and moved away.

“It’ll be sore and painful for a while.” Micah told him. “You have stitches too, remember? You can’t touch them.”

“Oh. Oh yeah.” Harry said, his mind catching up with what had happened and everything that had been said before the operation.

“Are you in any pain?” Micah asked. “We can call the nurse to give you painkillers if you are.”

Harry shook his head. “I’m okay, still a little floaty at the moment, but I’m okay.” He insisted.

Richard was so relieved and he send a quick message to Jamil, letting him know that Harry was awake and talking, that he was completely fine. He knew that his Skoll would inform everyone else at the Circus.
They didn’t overexcite Harry, he needed to rest after his impromptu hysterectomy, but when the nurse kept her promise, to feed Harry on all the ice cream he could stuff, the excitement in him was almost infectious.
He hadn’t been awake for twenty minutes when she came in with a smile and a huge bowl of different flavoured scoops of ice cream. They watched his face light up in pure joy.

“This is why that operation was worth it.” Harry said as Richard helped to prop him up with a pillow and he was given a spoon.

He ate his ice cream with utter relish and he, of course, dived straight for the strawberry ice cream first.

“At least this hasn’t affected your appetite for ice cream.” Nathaniel teased, brushing Harry’s hair back from his face as he scoffed his treat.

“Nothing could stop me from eating ice cream.” Harry said happily.

“Hold on, let me get a photo for Jason.” Nathaniel said, lifting his phone.

Harry held the spoon close to his mouth and grinned happily. Nathaniel laughed and took the picture, before sending it to Jason. He got a reply almost immediately saying that Harry looked very happy. Nathaniel looked back to Harry, eating more ice cream and grinning at Richard. He sent back a simple reply to Jason. He is happy.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ X

It took him a while to recover, even with shifting into all of his wereanimal forms. There was a while when he felt hollow and empty and nothing he did made it feel any better. Then after that he started to get sore if he stayed stood up for too long, it was painful to walk too far. But slowly he was recovering.
He was back home now, not at the Circus, but at Anita’s home in Jefferson County. He liked being able to sit in his masterpiece of a garden and just watch the nature around him. It helped him feel peaceful.
Lila had been to see him, both here and at the hospital. She had fussed around him, gotten him more ice cream from the nurses, and she had kept him company and entertained with stories from her work. He let her fuss over him as a sort of apology that he wouldn’t tell her why he’d had an operation. He’d told her that it was something done to him in the past, she knew quite a bit about that now, and he’d told her that the operation was to fix some damage that those people had done to him. He didn’t tell her that he had had a womb removed, he probably never would, as it would led to talking about his miscarried daughter and that was very upsetting for him to think of, but thankfully, she didn’t press him about it, knowing how painful it was for him to speak about that terrible time.

“Are you alright?” Micah asked him, coming out with a glass of fresh lemonade for him.

Harry smiled. “Yeah.” He said. He meant it too.

Micah sat beside him, right on the grass and that made Harry grin.

“I’m not so old that I can’t still sit on the grass. I’m a wereleopard, I’ll be fit for decades yet.”

Harry laughed and accepted the glass, taking a nice big gulp.

“Are you really okay? I know you like sitting out here, but you’re normally digging in all the flower beds for weeds.”

“I’m a bit sore today, so I’m taking it easy. Sometimes just watching nature carry on is what makes doing it in the first place worth it.” He said, looking to the colourful birdhouse he’d hung in the tree. A nuthatch was coming and going, slipping in and out quickly with fat caterpillars in its beak. It made him smile so happily. He and Lila had made that house together, their very first one.

“Well I’m glad that you know to take things easy a little. We wouldn’t want you hurt.”

Harry smiled and then sighed, reclining backwards. “I am glad that I don’t have to do that again. I don’t think I could do it a second time.”

“You were very brave and we were all so proud of you.”

“I got that bit when you threw me a homecoming party.” He laughed, remembering the day he’d come out of hospital fondly. It hadn’t been much of a party, as he still needed to rest, but everyone had been there to welcome him home and to tell him how brave he was, how proud they were. It made him feel better.

“Are you seeing Lila today?”

“Not today. She’s working and she wants me to rest, so we’re…we’re going to watch the same film and text one another.” Harry said a little bashfully, as if Micah would think him strange.

“I think that’s a good idea, that way you get some rest, but you’re still doing something with Lila. Nathaniel’s back from the store, he bought you more ice cream.”

Harry perked up at that. “Ice cream is my absolute favourite.” He said with a grin.

Micah laughed. “We would never be able to tell! Come on, you should come inside for a bit, you’ll burn if you stay out in this sun for much longer.”

Harry nodded and allowed Micah to pull him to his feet, the both of them heading into the cool shade of the house. The air con was on full and it was like walking into a fridge. It was sheer bliss to an overheated Harry.
He went to greet Nathaniel with a tight hug, getting an absentminded kiss to the forehead for his efforts while Nathaniel organised the shopping bags and where everything went in the kitchen. Sometimes kisses like that were the best, because no one had to think to kiss him, they just did it because they loved him. He grinned rather goofily and he went into the large living room and settled himself on the couch, allowing himself to relax. He immediately took out his phone and started texting Lila, he knew that she was in work, but sometimes, if she was in the back with her patients, she would send him a message or a photo of her cuddling with kittens or rabbits, or the one time she’d had a snake around her neck, a big grin on her face.
He sighed. He’d been seeing her for eight months, she had not run from his past as he’d feared that she would, instead she had listened to him speak and held him all afternoon. It had taken a dozen of these little talks to tell her most of what had been done to him, how he was still a little ‘odd’ because of his lack of socialising between the ages of eight and seventeen, how his family weren’t actually related to him but had been the ones to save him, to care for him, to look after him and protect him. He told her what he’d been told about the Dursleys, how they had been the ones to sell him and that they were now in prison.
She had been rightfully horrified and she had started to help socialise him a little more. He’d never really gone out without someone with him. Though he was trusted to get himself to and from work on his own now, he enjoyed walking, but when he started taking Lila on dates, it was really the first time that he’d gone out to somewhere that wasn’t his route to work and then back to the Circus. He was going on his own, well, with Lila, but still, he had no family members escorting him and it was a very freeing experience, to just be a young adult, eating out, going to the movies, going for a walk around the park. It was a whole new experience for him and he was getting more exposure to the outside world and more socialising as a result. He was far from normal, he would never be ‘normal’ by society’s standards, but he was no longer a complete nut case either, where he would speak too loudly, swing in Richard’s hands, or find completely ordinary, boring things, fascinating and engaging. He’d moved on from that, but he would never be completely ordinary, Lila said that sometimes being ordinary was just another word for being boring, and she didn’t want someone who was boring. That made Harry feel better too.
Jason was right in a way. He had had a really good two years. He’d done so much in this year and the last. He’d set up his own non-profit business to help others who really needed it, he’d met and started dating Lila and he’d started thinking about having surgery to remove the misplaced womb. He laid a hand over his abdomen and just patted it very gently. It had taken him eight months of talking, of planning, but he had finally gone through with his operation and he no longer had a womb to torment him.
He could only go forward now. He hadn’t exactly conquered his fear of hospitals or doctors, but he had gone into that hospital several times for talks, he had been brave enough to choose his own preferred day for his surgery, and he had walked into that hospital, knowing what was going to happen, but he’d swallowed all the pre-medications that he needed, given to him by a very kind nurse, then he’d sat in his bed, in the little papery gown, waiting. He had freaked out a little there, but the fear had gotten to him, but he had not tried to run away. A few years before he might have even tried jumping from the large window to escape, but he hadn’t, he had had a little freak out and clutched at his family very tightly, but he had stayed in the bed and allowed himself to be anaesthetised for the surgery he wanted, but didn’t want. Just the thought of being cut open again made him shiver, even now, after it had already happened.
He calmed himself down, it had been done. He had been brave and he’d had the operation. He no longer had a womb to torment him as a constant reminder of what had been done to him. He smiled and focused only on the good. He had come so far and now twenty-eight, turning twenty-nine in July, he was becoming a proper man. A functional man.
His phone beeped and he all but dived on it to read the message from Lila. She was twenty-three now, he’d made her a cake for her birthday and he’d given her a book series that she’d wanted for a while but hadn’t been able to find. He’d gotten Jean-Claude’s help to have the book series imported from abroad, just for Lila. He still remembered the astonished look on her face when she’d opened the box to find the books nestled carefully within. That night had also been the first time they’d had sex, his first ever time having sex, three months after they’d first started dating. He now understood why everyone in the Circus, all his family, were obsessed with sex. He more than understood. It was a mind-blowing experience.
His family had immediately noticed the change in him overnight, but it had been Jason who had correctly guessed the reason and had teased him about losing his virginity. He thought that his two overprotective father figures would explode from the looks on their faces. Asher had needed to be convinced that he was not to go and tear Lila’s head off. His dad, Richard, had taken a more practical approach, sitting him down and talking about protection, birth control and condoms, but Harry already knew about all of that from school.
He and Lila didn’t want children just yet, it was much too soon. She had her veterinary career to think of, Harry was not mentally ready to be a Father himself. He might have come on really well, particularly in the last few years, but he was nowhere near ready for that massive step. So they had agreed to wait for several years, Lila had gone to her doctor and she had gotten the birth control implant, they used condoms every single time and they were always careful. Their baby, when they decided to have one, if they decided to ever have one, would be planned.
He smiled as Lila asked him how he was, if he was still sore or in pain. He messaged her back that he was alright, just a little sore today, but that it wasn’t painful. He asked her how her shift was going, if her patients were behaving for her. He loved hearing about her day, about all the different animals that she helped to look after and make better.

“There you are!” Nathaniel laughed. “Micah, he was in the living room!”

Harry blinked and looked up.

“I didn’t see…ah.” Micah said as he came into the room and then he laughed. “Comfy?”

Harry didn’t realise what was happening until he moved to sit up. He’d slipped down in the chair so much that he couldn’t be seen. He laughed.

“Yeah, it was. I didn’t mean to worry you.”

“That’s okay, we just wondered where you’d gone.” Micah told him.

“Are you hungry?” Nathaniel asked him.

“Ice cream?” Harry asked hopefully.

“After your dinner.” Micah told him sternly. “You need proper food now, not just ice cream.”

Harry nodded. “Do you need help in the kitchen?”

“No, it’s mostly all done and Anita’s on her way home.” Nathaniel said.

“Can I set the table?” Harry offered.

Nathaniel smiled at him. “Go on then.”

Harry did as he’d said and he laid the table for all five of them. He’d just finished and was typing a message to Lila when the front door opened and then closed. He sent his message and then went to barrel into his family. He got Anita first, who was caught from falling by Nicky.

“Well you’re certainly feeling better today.” She told him.

“Much better!” He smiled. “Nathaniel and Micah have been feeding me ice cream and lemonade all day.”

“Ah, the dreaded sugar rush.” Nicky teased.

“I have to eat a proper meal now before I can have more, Micah said so.”

“At least Micah is being responsible.” Anita chuckled.

“Welcome home, love.” Micah greeted, coming over now that Harry had had his turn in crashing into people.

Harry let everyone greet Anita and he instead lifted his arms up to Nicky, who snorted, but did as Harry pleaded and picked him up, slipping an arm under his bum and holding him easily.

“How was your day?” Harry asked. “I spent most of it in the garden watching the birds and bees. That little nuthatch definitely has a baby! She didn’t stop bringing caterpillars all day.”

“You don’t want to know what I did all day, but you must be happy that your birdhouse is being used.”

Harry nodded. “I told Lila and took photos for her. That was the first birdhouse we made together. I like that it’s being used.”

Nicky carried him to the kitchen and then sat him on his chair before sitting next to him. Harry was distracted easily when his phone beeped, letting him know that Lila had messaged him back. He hunched over his phone and read her message, laughing before typing a reply. He didn’t really listen to what was going on around him as everyone started talking, he was lost in his own little world with Lila, who was getting ready to drive home. Harry told her to drive safely and that she was to text him when she was home, not while she was driving. Richard had taught him how important that was, so that no one had an accident or got hurt.
He put his phone down for the twenty minutes it would usually take for Lila to get home and he joined the conversation, getting teased for blocking them out while talking to Lila, but he didn’t mind. He never minded a bit of teasing for Lila.

“Is your little movie date still going ahead?” Micah asked.

Harry nodded. “She’s going to shower and eat dinner herself, then we’ll start setting it up.”

“You’re going out?” Anita asked.

Harry shook his head as Nathaniel put a plate in front of him. “Thank you, mum.” Harry said with a grin. “No, we’re both staying at home, but we’re going to watch the same movie and text through it, so we can still sort of have a date, without either of us leaving home or getting out of our pyjamas.”

“That’s actually rather genius.” Nathaniel told him with a smile.

Anita nodded. “Especially as you can’t push yourself too hard.”

“I know. I’ve been doing well today. There’s no pain, just a bit of soreness and pinching, I might shift again later and see if that helps a little more.”

“If you need any help, just ask.” Micah told him.

“I will, thank you.” He said with a smile as he dug into his meal. It was protein rich, as all of their meals were because they were all wereanimals who needed the extra protein, but Harry was mostly looking forward to his ice cream afterwards.

An hour later Micah and Nicky had helped him to shift and walk off a bit of energy, he’d had a quick bath to get rid of any lingering aches, and he was sat in his bedroom, on the squishy beanbag chair and the film that he’d let Lila pick out was ready to start. He had a bag of popcorn in his lap and a glass of lemonade beside him and his fully charged phone in his hand. Lila had texted that she was ready, Harry had done the same and they’d both pressed play.
It was nice, doing this. He had wanted to spend time with Lila, but he was just too sore and she had been working late. This was a way that they could spent time together, without actually being together. It was perfect as he texted her about the scene that they’d just watched. Lila had enjoyed it too. It made him smile.
No, he was still quirky and odd, he likely always would be, but he’d found someone who could embrace his oddities and not be embarrassed when he did something others would perceive as strange. He didn’t know if his relationship with Lila would last forever, it probably wouldn’t if what he’d learnt from those around him was any indication, but that anyone could actually like to spend time with him, that they could love him and his quirks, it meant the world to him, and if there was one special person that could do so, then there would be more.
He wasn’t looking for another person, of course not, he loved Lila, but that there would be others who could accept him as he was gave him so much more confidence, and it only made him love Lila more, because she had been the first to see him as a person and not as a freak. He did hope that they stayed together forever, but if they didn’t, it wouldn’t throw him back to how he was before, he was never going to go back now that he’d made so many strides forward. He would not undo all of his progress. Of course he would be very upset if he and Lila split up, but it wouldn’t be the end of the world, she had shown him love, she had proven to him that he could be loved despite everything that he had suffered through and he would never be able to repay her for that gift. He would always remember her even if they did break up, but he felt now that he had grown in certain ways, taken several more steps forward and he had become more mature and confident.
Lila liked the one scene that they’d just watched and Harry agreed readily, saying why he’d liked it and discussing it. This was definitely a good idea and he didn’t even need to get out of his lounge shorts.
He was always going to have his family, people he could rely on for everything, even just holding his hand when he was scared or when he had a freak out over ordinary things, such as going in an elevator. He still didn’t like doing that and he would always opt for the stairs if he could, as being in the tiny metal container always forced his mind back to being crammed into the metal cages back at the factory.
He sighed as he watched the film, smiling as he texted Lila and she texted him. Some things were always going to bother him it seemed, but as he looked back to where he was now, to where he’d come from he had made remarkable progress. It had taken a lot of help and support, of course, he just counted himself as very lucky that his family did care for him and love him. That he could rely on them for love and support. He was going to be taking his driving test now, as soon as he was better and less sore. His driving instructor expected him to pass first time. He couldn’t wait until he passed that massive milestone in his life too. He was very excited.
It might have taken him eleven years now, since he’d first been rescued and brought to the Circus, and into the lives of the most important people in his heart, but he was finally feeling ‘stable’ and less erratic. He was having less freak outs, he was making more progress in his life and his understanding. It felt amazing to be considered somewhat normal. He had a steady, paying job at a business that he had set up himself, he had two volunteer jobs now (as Lila had taken him to an animal shelter that she volunteered at and he had started helping out too), he had a wonderful girlfriend, he was going to be driving soon, Jean-Claude had even bought him a car ready. It was by no means a supercar, or anything flashy, but it was brand new and top of the range. Harry loved it and it was a wonderful incentive to keep his mind focused and on his lessons, that had come not only from his instructor, but from several people who had helped him too, Jason, Anita, Micah, Richard, Nicky and even Jamil had all taken him out and helped him learn to drive, giving him tips and advice. He had willingly gone through with an operation to remove the womb he’d never wanted, he had accepted all of his beasts as a part of himself, he was…he was completely and utterly happy with where he was right now. He had come so far, and though he still had a way to go yet, he was happy for the first time in his young life. Truly and completely happy and it was the best feeling in the world.

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A/N: I have finally gotten around to posting up this final chapter! Harry has finally come into his own and, though he will always be a little odd, he has at least made a life for himself. I can’t say whether he’ll stay with Lila, as I don’t know where his future will lead him, but I can say that if things don’t work out, he will move on. It won’t break him or set him back, not any more.
As for those who kept mentioning the magical world, Harry was never a part of that world, he was put in a cage at age eight, he never got a wand thus there is no trace, so they cannot say for certain where he is, though since the court case that convicted the Dursleys, those back in the magical world know that he is alive and that he is in America, but America is a big country, they can’t search for him. If they ever did find him, those around him would protect him, always, he’s 28 now, he’s a man, and he is free to make his own choices. They cannot force him into Britain, or into the magical world, he’s too old to go to Hogwarts, they cannot force him to do anything. He has a new family and he doesn’t even know Sirius or Remus, friends of the parents he doesn’t even know the names of or not.
There was no room for that aspect of canon in this fic, it was about what Harry suffered through, the ordeals he went through, and the people who saved him and raised him to be the man he was in this chapter. Perhaps without Harry Voldemort would never have been rebirthed and is still currently a shade possessing passing snakes in Albania and is no threat to magical Britain, or to Muggles. I like to think that’s what has happened, because I want Harry to have nothing but calm and peace from now on, well as much as he can with all the preternatural disasters that Anita and her guys get into.

So with that, I put this fic to rest and I can finally focus on some other fics, namely the Drackens and you may be happy to know that The Pride of the Lions will be taking over from this fic, so those of you waiting for an update of that fic, from 2014 I might add, you will be getting one as soon as I can manage, once I get back into the swing of it.
If any of you have any questions now after this chapter, please make sure that you have an account and that PMs are enabled, otherwise I will not be able to answer you and your questions will regretfully go unanswered.
Thank you all for reading and reviewing over the course of this fic, lovelies and I hope that you’ve all enjoyed the ending of this fic. It was at times hard to write, at other times upsetting, but I’m glad that it has come to the end at last, and a rather happy ending at that, after all he went through, Harry at east deserved that much.

StarLight Massacre. X
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Lycanthrope Factory