Chapter 7

Xander took one look at the man who arrived in his office by portkey with Draco's first dose of Wolfsbane and wanted nothing more than to laugh. He was tall,with long greasy black hair just starting to gray, a nose that had been broken once too often, and a cartoon-ish sneer. The man's clothes looked like something between a medieval monk, aDracula-wannabe, and a Lord of the Rings extras costume.

"Where is Draco?"

"HEY, DRAKE! TALL, DARK AND CREEPY'S HERE WITH YOUR POTION!" Xander shouted in the direction of the open door between the adjoined offices,where Draco was finally trying to get his own office in order. He had the help of five giggling Slayers bickering over colors just to see the paint on the wall change a few dozen times. For Draco's sake, Xander hoped they got bored with the spell soon.

"I'd also like to see Director Harris--"

"Severus!" Draco grinned as he came into the room.

"How you surviving in there?" Xander asked, grinning

"I suppose it would be bad if I started hexing them?" Draco muttered.

"Mmm, yup. 'Cause they'd get your wand away from you eventually and beat you up. Then Regina would have to patch you up and get all disapproving mother hennish and probably call Giles,who'll get all frowny and 'Good Lord, Xander, can't you control your Slayers' on me as if he ever controlled Buffy or Faith. Might even cause an international incident and violate the Cooperation Treaty."

Giggling from the doorway between the offices made the newly arrived wizard look, then demand with an incredulous sneer "Those are the Slayers?"

"Five of em at any rate," Xander confirmed. "Where's Allie?"

"She's in the Library." Kayleigh answered and bounced in place.

"Shy?" Xander frowned not seeing the eldest of the teenaged Slayers in the group.

"Cheyenne went with Regina, Madison, and Kelly to see Madison's parents." Draco reminded him.

Xander nodded. He'd forgotten about that. He had agreed when Regina thought it would go better if she was the one that took care of what was going to be a very tense visit to Madison's family. He had to admit, considering Madison's family, taking Cheyenne along in case things got a bit hostile was a good idea.

"You guys, scoot. I'm sure you all have nasty stuff to slay...like say book reports and math homework."

The girls groaned as if on cue, but left, going back through Draco's office.

"Got yourself quite a fan club there, Drake," Xander grinned. Then laughed at the filthy look Draco gave him. Tall Dark and Creepy glared.

"You look well, Draco, " Creepy said. "Still, I must insist I speak to Director Harris. If anything happens to you I will personally see him well acquainted with the Unforgivables in what remains of his short life."

"Wow, a death threat and we're not even dating, Drake," Open Mouth, Insert Foot. Xander groaned internally at the pair of disbelieving looks he received. One of these days, he was going to really have to figure out how not to blurt out stupid things like that.

"You are Director Harris?" Creepy's tone and expression could not be misinterpreted. It was nothing short of complete sneering disbelief.

"Hey, don't blame me, it was all Giles'idea." Xander held his hands up in mock surrender. "I'm gonna go check on Allie. She's worse than Wills ever was about books. Make sure she's eaten sometime today. I'll be back in a couple hours or so, okay Drake?"

"Thank you"

"Well, if you can't find me to reset the portkey when you're done, it's not my fault." Xander grinned. Giles had called earlier with the latest Ministry stipulations on Snape making the Wolfsbane.Xander had to sign off that the potion was drunk. Snape wasn’t to be there any longer than it took for Draco to drink the potion and Xander to sign it off. The Portkey wouldn't take Snape back until Xander signed the silly "He took his potion like a good little werewolf" note.

Draco had been visibly upset by that. Other than an occasional sneer or glare of frustration at Muggle technology, the blonde wizard had been very guarded and hard to read. Keeping the other man off balance worked some. If he was too busy to remember he had to keep his carefully calculated guard up, Xander could get a reaction or two out of him.

~*~

"Where's Draco?"

"Hey, Snape," Xander yawned when the man portkeyed into his office for the seventh straight day. "He's at the house. Your stinky juice is wearing him down. That and all the mojo'ing he's been doing."

"He should be resting." Snape glared.

"Well, that's what he's doing now."

"Why have you been forcing him--"

"WHAT? Did Draco say I made him do a damn thing?"

"No. I find it highly unlikely that--" Snape cut himself off and scowled. "The little dunderhead."

"He's on a useful kick." Xander shrugged. "He'll settle down and be as annoying and unuseful as everyone else around here soon enough I'm sure. He looked like pure crap by ten this morning, so his oh-so-useful ass got sent back to bed." Snape looked at him dangerously. Xander did a mental replay of what he had just said. "That didn't come out quite right."

"Indeed." Snape sneered. "This is only his third transformation, and the first with the Wolfsbane. Even a Muggle such as you should have some idea that over-exerting yourself when undergoing a new treatment isn't wise."

Xander blinked. "Well, he never said that, and all the paperwork made it sound like he'd been a werewolf since forever. How the hell did he get bit by a werewolf when he was in custody for the last three years?" Xander grumbled. "Unless the dipshits were that stupid and left him with a wolf on the full moon, or they're that sick and put him in with a wolf on the full moon."

"The former is entirely possible, but considering the Aurors who were on duty, I'm more inclined to believe the latter."

"Niice" Xander said sarcastically. Giles would occasionally go on about how the Wizarding World enforced policy and laws and their nearly feudal system of going about things. Whoever had the most clout and supporters could call a lot of shots, even if they weren't actually in the government. "You want to stay tonight? Make sure he's okay in the morning?"

"He has a secure place for the transformation?"

Xander shrugged "The house. Your stinky juice is supposed to make him keep his mind so I don't see caging him. I've got the tranquilizer gun on hand if I need it." Xander studied the Wizard's face. "You got a thing about Werewolves?"

"I was nearly killed by one due to a prank."

"A prank involving a werewolf." Xander rolled his eye. "God, is the whole Wizarding World really that whacko? Going by the idiots I've had to deal with at the ACW..." He shook his head. "You're welcome to stay."

"And the conditions--"

"I needed a wolfsitter and requisitioned you. Unless you need to get back to the school you teach at?"

"It's the weekend. I can floo Dumbledore and he'll see to it Slytherin house is supervised."

"Cool. Or I can make G-man do it. Less manure if we make it officially council."

"Quite"

~*~

Xander smiled reassuringly, or at least he hoped it was reassuringly. He was very focused on not noticing how nicely put together Draco was just now. So very much not the time with moonrise all of two minutes away and Draco nearly hyperventilating. Severus was waiting in the living room. He'd agreed to stay then muttered under his breath about Muggles thinking rules applied to them as little as Potter did. Xander had the tranq gun in hand he lifted it reminding Draco, "It’s covered just in case. You'll be fine, Drake. The stinky juice will do its job."

Draco didn't answer as the transformation began.

Xander winced. Damn, it was worse than what he remembered Oz's transformations being. Oz hadn't screamed and howled like Draco did.

"You okay there, Drake?"

The werewolf nodded unsteadily.

"Why don't we go find something to watch on TV with Old Scowly out there?"

The werewolf looked at Xander like he was out of his mind.

~*~

Severus had to wonder if the odd Muggle was entirely sane. It was a valid concern, especially with his godson residing with the obnoxious twit. Draco's wolf form was shaky and exhausted which wasn't very surprising. Lupin had said the Wolfsbane had left him the same, especially when he had first started taking it. The Muggle's ease with Draco's lycanthropy was shocking. The insane Muggle made a point of saying "Just cause yer a bit fuzzy doesn't mean you're not allowed to sit on the couch, now get up here and be comfortable" to a full grown, transformed werewolf then proceed to watch a movie with said werewolf next to him.