Disclaimer: We have no claim on Harry Potter nor any characters or locations thereof. We gain only amusement from writing this.

Warning: Destined mates, creature fic, angst from the puppies. After the last book only EWE and Sirius and Remus very much alive.

AN: What on earth is this? Another collab between Acherona and the spectacular Trulywicked. Well here it is, time for another creature fic and this time the least amount of angst will be with Snape and Harry. No. Really. There is minimal Snarry angst. All the angsting belongs to Wolfstar this time, we like Wolfstar angst almost as much as we like the fluff.

We do hope you'll enjoy this fic. Leave a review if it pleases you to do so my darlings.

SOULSONG

Chapter One.

Was he destined to forever deal with these infuriating twits? Severus Snape scowled out over the Great Hall at the multitudes of students stuffing their faces at the Welcoming Feast. He'd hoped that now that the Dark Lord was gone, he would be able to retire from his post as Professor at Hogwarts and spend the rest of his life in contentment creating new potions and improving on the old. Unfortunately with the damage dealt to him by Nagini, even with his creature blood, he'd been so severely injured that he'd been unable to leave his sickbed in enough time to appropriately set up a lab and tender his resignation. So he would have to spend one more year teaching the dunderheads and watching them bungle. What made it more irritating to him was the fact that Potter, as well as all the seventh years from the year previous, had returned in order to properly finish their basic wizarding education.

He did not need Potter near him after that embarrassing miscalculation of showing the brat his memories. All through his summer recuperation he'd received small tokens of concern and get well wishes delivered by a familiar, insistent snowy owl. He'd not shown Potter the memories to garner sympathy or bloody understanding, but to give the brat information. It was bloody irritating when he saw the slight pity in the sharp green eyes and to know it was because Potter had assumed he'd been in love with Lily. He had most assuredly notheld romantic feelings towards her, she'd been a sister, a confidant, and the only real friend he'd ever had but never had he been in love with her. His tastes in that regard went to flat chests and lean muscle rather than curves.

A chuckle from beside him reminded him of one more of the reasons he was dreading this year. Sirius Black had been signed on as Defense Against the Dark Arts professor and if there was anything more guaranteed to make his year a misery it was that. He caught bright emerald green eyes watching him from the Gryffindor table and glared viciously at Potter until the young man looked away, taking the pity in his eyes with him.

Harry turned his gaze back to the wonderful feast put out on the tables feeling an ache in his chest from the resentment and dislike in those dark eyes. Harry had thought things would be different now after Voldemort and after the end of pretending but it looked like this year would be the same as the others. He didn't know why he was so upset by that but he was. None of the notes he'd sent with Hedwig had gotten a reply and Harry hadn't really expected it, he wasn't naive enough to believe that he and Snape would suddenly be the best of friends but he hadn't expected that kind of open hostility.

He looked around the Great Hall, surprised but happy that there were no signs of the battle that had taken place in the castle just months ago. It was nice being back at Hogwarts but Harry knew that it would take some time before he could see it the same way again. Still they had been lucky, there had been losses of course but they had made it out victorious in the end and Harry's most loved ones were safe and sound, he was selfish enough to appreciate that even though he did grieve and feel guilty for those who hadn't been so lucky. Green eyes went to the head table and Remus who sat at the far edge, balancing Teddy on his lap...Teddy who would never get to know his mother.

Harry poked in his food, suddenly he didn't feel very hungry anymore.

Hermione looked over at her friend and put a hand on his arm, "Harry?"

"Hmm?" Harry turned to Hermione with a questioning expression. "What is it Mione?" She'd grown so much during the war and the Horcrux hunt and she had turned into a radiating young woman, Harry counted himself very lucky to be able to call himself her friend.

"I was about to ask you that. You're poking at treacle tart, your favorite." She turned to face him more fully, studying the fined down features and the aged quality he had to him. He'd been through and seen so much in just eighteen years, and she had a feeling she didn't even know the half of it, and it had made him an old soul. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing's wrong Mione, I promise." Harry added quickly when she opened her mouth to protest. "Just a bit overwhelmed to be back here I guess. To be simply a normal student, it will take a little time to get used to it that's all."

"If you're sure." She studied him closely for a little longer. "But you know if anything's bothering you that I'm more than happy to listen or do whatever I can to help."

"I know and I appreciate it." Harry reached for her hand and squeezed it gently. "I promise I'll come to you if I need a willing ear."

She squeezed back, "You'd better. I'd hate to have to tie you down and pry answers from you if you start closing yourself off." She ruffled his hair before turning to Ron and scolding him for eating with his mouth open, again.

Up at the Head table, Sirius snickered at Sinistra's subtle quips in a jovial manner. No one but him would be able to tell he was far from feeling happy, jovial, or good-humored. He could just see Remus out of the corner of his eye, the other man feeding Teddy with a soft smile on his face as the boy's hair shifted between bubblegum pink and teal, and felt his not inconsiderable temper surge again. Before Remus had married Tonks he'd never once been angry with the other man, not truly. He'd never been angry that Remus had believed him capable of betraying James and Lily, never angry when Remus had avoided and snapped at him after the stupid trick he'd played on Snape, and never angry that Remus had not once looked in on Harry though he damn well should have. No, never had any of those things made him angry but when Remus had married Tonks...nothing had ever hurt more nor made him angrier and for the first time in his life he'd wanted to hit Remus.

Of course Remus hadn't known that Sirius was very fucking well aware that Moony had chosen him as mate but that didn't matter. He was Remus' mate, hewas the one meant to make a life with the werewolf, him not Tonks, not his bloody cousin. He knew Remus had no problem sleeping with another man and though he'd known since they were young that Moony had chosen him as mate, he still had the scars on his thigh where Moony had bitten Padfoot gently during play in the forest one night, he'd been willing to laugh off the myriad of lovers as they'd never lasted longer than three nights. Then he'd married Nymphadora and ripped Sirius' heart out. How could he? His fist clenched under the table and he forced his thoughts and attention away from Remus before he did something violent and incredibly stupid.

Snape noticed the subtle tension in his old nemesis' laughter and studied him surreptitiously, taking note of the gray eyes looking at Lupin before a fine tremor of restrained temper shook the former Azkaban inmate's shoulders. He also noticed that when Sirius looked away that Lupin's golden eyes looked up and found the animagus. 'Interesting. Perhaps this year might provide some sort of worthwhile entertainment after all.'

Remus was well aware that Sirius was angry with him, he'd been angry ever since Remus told him that he would marry Dora. Remus couldn't understand why Sirius was so angry though, why was it so bad that Remus wanted some sort of normal life? A wife and a family? He had loved Dora, really he had. Moony had chosen someone else as his mate but Remus was more than his wolf, he was a man too and the man had chosen Dora.

He sighed and leaned down to kiss the top of his son's head. Even if he wanted to he could never have brought this up to Sirius, could never even considered to take a chance with the other man. Sirius had never been serious about a relationship in his life. Sirius was impulsive and he never thought before he acted. Remus had told three people about his wolf, trusted them with his most important secret and Sirius hadn't thought twice about using that secret to get even with Snape for some childish prank, he hadn't thought about what it would mean for Remus and how close he had come to making Remus a killer.

Sirius had thought he was a spy and then he had left him all alone in a world that didn't look kindly on creatures of any kind. He hadn't been allowed to go to James and Lily's funeral and he was absolutely forbidden to seek out Harry, Azkaban waited for him if he were to disobey. Moony had lost his mate and his pack in one swoop and taken his anger out on his own body. No Remus could never let Sirius in but he missed their friendship. Missed it so badly that it felt as if his heart was breaking all over again.

Severus passed the rest of the Feast watching the two Marauders fumble about watching each other with dark amusement. He wondered idly how long it would take before one of the two broke down and personally he was betting on Black's control shattering to pieces before anything was resolved, the animagus was far too much like his animal form to hold out very long where Lupin held his wolf and also his emotions in an iron control. Snape barely glanced up as Albus went over his usual speech at the end of the year and released them all to their own quarters. Rising to his feet he clipped quickly past the throng of students, heading for the dungeons.

Harry rose quickly, wanting to make it to the sanctuary of his dorm in Gryffindor Tower before the questions would start. He could understand the curiosity but he honestly didn't have anything to say about his fight with Voldemort. It had happened and now it was over and Harry wanted to put it out of his mind as best he could. He hurried down the line between the tables, his eyes on the floor until he bumped into a body in front of him. Harry looked up to see black robes and equally black hair...Of course it had to be Snape he crashed into. He grabbed the other's arm to keep from falling over and opened his mouth to apologize.

The second Potter's arm grabbed his, Severus felt his creature side break free of his control with a liquid slide of joyful song and surge towards the youth. He knew that if someone looked his eyes would be flashing electric blue but he didn't have time to even think about that as his creature side, with it's gifts of empathy and telepathy swept him along for a ride into Potter's mind, wishing to know its mate. A soft curse escaped him before he fell, his consciousness leaving him as it traveled into the green eyed man's mind.

It wasn't like it had been during those fateful Occulomency lessons, it wasn't forceful or painful. Instead it was soft and warm and safe but it still took Harry back to all the things he didn't want to remember. It started with with Harry in a crib, looking out at the family sitting in the living room with wide green eyes wondering why no one touched him, why no one smiled or even spoke to him in something else than angry yells. Later he wished for that time back, a time when they didn't touch him. When his body ached and his back was black and blue from his Uncle's belt. The beatings, the screaming, the cupboard with the deadbolt on the outside...All of it flashed in Harry's mind along with the pain, the bitterness and the shame of not being strong enough to stop them.

The human side of Snape's mind recoiled at the look at Harry's past, at the truth damning his preconceptions to hell, leaving the creature side to do as it pleased. It sang again, the trilling note wrapping around Harry's pain and taking it on, soothing it and taking it into itself before singing it out. The song continued as Severus watched, as if on fast forward, all of Harry's life up until that very moment and felt a rare remorse at his own actions and the pain they'd caused the young man. He closed his eyes and gave himself over for a moment, allowing his human mind to join the creature side in comforting Harry's bruised and battered heart. The song rose to an almost fever pitch, seeking forgiveness for causing pain and seeking to take it away.

It was calmness, gentleness, a soothing touch that ran over his open and bleeding wounds to close them shut. Harry had never felt such peace and such a sense of belonging before. The soothing, trilling song in his mind was coming to an end and Harry wanted to cling to it, wanted to make it last. He came back to the now with a start and he had no idea what to do or how to react. Harry had never experienced anything like this before and he did the only thing he could think of...He ran.

Severus' eyes shot open, still the haunting electric blue, and watched Harry retreat followed swiftly by Black, Granger, and Weasley. He closed his eyes and tried to get his struggling creature side to calm down as it cried out in distress and longing to follow after its mate. He knew that chaining his creature blood down again as he'd done in order to guard himself from Voldemort exploiting it wouldn't work, not now that it had found its destined mate and instead tried to soothe it with logic, patience, a request to understand that no one, least of all Harry, knew of the phoenix that flowed through his veins and so the youth was bound to be incredibly confused and needed time. Not to mention he really didn't think he was capable of getting up at the moment.

Harry made it to the Gryffindor common room in record time and he curled up on one of the short couches, watching the flickering flames dancing in the fireplace. He was aware that Hermione, Ron and Sirius was right behind him but he didn't know what to tell them. Harry didn't even know what had happened.

Hermione actually elbowed Ron and Sirius back and made it to Harry first, sitting down next to him. "Harry, are you okay?"

"I'm not really sure Mione." Harry turned and looked at her. "I'm not...not okay, does that make sense? In a way I feel better than I can ever remember having felt before but I don't know." Harry could hear how little sense he was making and it almost caused him to growl in frustration. He raised his right hand to run it through his hair when he caught something on the back of it, a flaring bright blue pattern, looking almost like an eye with smoky electric blue tendrils traveling out from it. What in Merlin's name was that?

Ron looked at his friend with worry but he stayed a bit at a distance. He knew Hermione was the best one suited to find out what was wrong and comfort Harry. Ron was aware of his tendency to always say the wrong thing at the wrong time.

Hermione caught sight of the mark on Harry's hand, "What...Harry where did that come from?"

Sirius came forward before the youth could answer and gently brought Harry's hand to eye level, inhaling sharply. "It's an unbonded mate mark."

Hermione's eyes widened in surprise, her lips parting as well. "Oh my."

Harry looked at the mark, flexing his hand as if it would go away before his eyes. "What does that mean? Why do I have it?" Harry wondered if he should mention the singing and the overwhelming sense of comfort and belonging but he decided against it, it felt as if that was something that was purely his.

Hermione waved Ron over as Sirius began to explain.

"Some wizards and witches have a healthy dose of creature blood in them. For example Fleur, well there are others along the same lines. There's several different magical creatures that have mated with humans. Every magical creature or creature-blood has a destined mate, someone they're meant for, meant to be with. If there's a large age gap between the creature-blood and their destined mate, nothing will happen until after the younger reaches maturity and they touch for the first time afterwards. What happens next is unique to each species of creature but it's some sort of recognition...I suppose you could call it a ritual though it's really more of a greeting or celebration of 'oh I found you!' but after that a mark is either given or just appears. It doesn't bond the mates together, all it does is let the mates and others know that the ones marked have a destined mate though not every creature or creature-blood chooses to be with their mate." The last was tinged with very faint bitterness that most would completely miss.

Hermione heard it though and peered closely at Sirius as he released Harry's hand.

"You're a destined mate to, and I can't believe I'm about to say this, Snape. You ran into him, touched him and he hit the floor while some sort of power went back and forth between you and now you've got the identification mark. I don't think you've got any creature blood pup so I'm betting it's Snape who's got the creature in his veins. If he doesn't try to fight it or you don't, he'll do anything to ensure your safety and happiness and I do mean anything and you'll probably feel that same pull to be sure he's safe and happy. Accepting mates will lie, cheat, steal, take blame for something they've not done, kill, literally do anythingto make their mate safe and happy, even stand aside while they choose another no matter the pain they may feel at being discarded."

Hermione saw sadness flicker over the animagus' features and the puzzle pieces fell into place making her swallow down the lump forming in her throat. Poor Sirius.

Ron's eyes were as wide as saucers as he listened to Sirius speak. Snape...Snapewas Harry's destined mate? Hadn't the universe fucked enough with his best friend without dumping this on him too?

Harry was stunned speechless, he tried to puzzle the warm, loving, comforting feeling he had felt together with Snape but the pieces didn't want to fit together. He recalled the way Snape had looked at him during the feast and he sincerely doubted that Snape would just embrace this. The man didn't like him, he loathed him and Harry couldn't believe that this would really change anything. "Thank you for telling me." He said softly to his godfather. "I think I'll head to bed, I have a lot of things to...You know think over."

Sirius gave Harry a slight smile and ruffled his hair. "Go on ahead pup. I imagine you'll be in a meeting in Albus' office tomorrow morning to hash this over so you're gonna need the sleep." He hoped that Snape didn't reject the notion of being Harry's mate truth be told. He knew Harry was more than a little fond of Snape now that he understood the bat's motives and the last thing he wanted was for Harry to end up in the position Sirius was in now, desperately wanting but angry at his mate and knowing that neither was likely to be resolved.

Harry smiled and leaned over to give his godfather a quick hug before doing the same to Hermione. He pat Ron on the shoulder and got up from the couch to walk upstairs to his dorm room. He didn't think he would get much sleep but he really needed some time to himself, just to think over what had happened and what would come next. "See all of you tomorrow."

The others nodded and wished him a goodnight before settling in to toss theories about what kind of creature blood Snape might have until Hermione shooed Ron up to the dorms and Sirius out of the common room. Then she headed up to her own dorm and bed, her mind picking apart what this might mean for Harry and everything else. One thing was certain, the library would be seeing a lot of her once more as she tried to sort out Harry's new tangle.

To be continued…

AN: Thank you for reading, we would absolutely love to hear what you think so far. See you next chapter.