ohana means family (DULF)

[hugo granger-weasley]

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Another Christmas had come and gone, and although today there had been no fighting between his parents, you could still feel the tension in the room. They hadn't been back from the burrow long but his father was already passed out on the couch and his mother was doing some work upstairs. Needless to say, he was bored and lonely... in need of some stimulation that a book wouldn't be able to provide.

And that's when it happened.

A flash of a house. A familiar male voice calling out to him, telling him to come and visit his true family, Another flash of an image.

He had been having dreams... or at least he thought they were dreams... about that very same house. It had plagued him day and night for a little over a week now, but that image of the stuffed wolf sitting upon his bed was new. For starters he didn't remember ever owning one let alone leaving it upon the top of his bed. Was he sleep walking now? He took one last look at his father however before he made a decision.

It was time to find this house. Time to figure out why he was going crazy. Why he couldn't tell what was real or a dream anymore. He quickly scribbled a note to his parents telling them that he was going to have a sleepover at a friend's house. And with the note left he went off to his room in search of the wolf he had seen. 

It was right where the vision had said... upon his bed the only difference being there was a note. With shaky hands he reached out and held the stuffed animal, feeling a jerk at his stomache as it pulled him from his bedroom to the world beyond.

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TAGGED: @dulf

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[Deleted]

Dulf hadn't done too much for Christmas in the way of celebration. The pack had never been huge on it, and Dulf personally always felt a little cynical about it. He had however spent his day productively. Dulf had been breaking into the home of his favorite young friend. Or, he hoped, former home. Bardulf had left a gift for Hugo. A stuffed wolf that had belonged to Bardulf himself. A toy he had never appreciated properly until he had been turned when he was far too old for toys. Of course, the wolf had been repurposed into an unregistered portkey. The intent was to whisk Hugo away to the pack house, and introduce him to the family.

Dulf was anxious. He checked his watch, sitting, waiting, hoping to see Hugo soon. It was rare that the werewolf was terribly attached to anyone outside the pack, but for whatever reason he found himself forming an attachment to Hugo.

It was time. Dulf looked into the air hoping to see the boy hanging onto the stuffed wolf which would soon land. Soon, the shape came into view a human form hurtling toward the earth. Dulf produced his wand. "Aresto momentum!" He called, not wanting to let harm come to his friend. He watched as the boy's fall began to slow.

[hugo granger-weasley]

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Hugo was blissfully unaware of Bardulf's intentions. In fact he believed that Bardulf would be doing what any friend would be; looking out for what was best for him, especially since his parents seemed too preoccupied arguing with one another to be doing just that.

As he fell he clamped his eyes shut tight. His mind focused on how he was going to be only a bloody spot upon concrete... that is until he heard the sound of his friiend's voice calling out a spell and felt his fall slow. He willed his eyes to open, bearing witness to how the ground was getting closer at a much slower rate.

When he did reach the ground however there was no pain or winding. It was almost as if he had chosen to lay on the ground. Quickly however he got to his feet and ran to give Dulf a hug, abandoning the toy wolf where he had fallen. Adrenaline was officially kicking in. He wasn't crazy! His friend was real and not a fragment of his imagination! He refused to let go of his friend... almost as if he was scared that if he did release his friend that he'd disappear again.

"I thought I was crazy! Mum didn't believe that I had made a friend at the park! I'm just glad that you're real!"

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TAGGED: @dulf

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[Deleted]

Dulf felt the other hug him and honestly, he was touched. He may have been tough honestly he could have been a monster but there was some part of him who would love to be a father, even if he knew he wouldn't be too suitable for it. The man held the boy close for a long while before he spoke up again, warmly. "You're not crazy, buddy. Your parents just wouldn't have understood if I've come to visit." He said entirely honestly, He would have actually liked to spend some time with his little buddy. He hated the idea of leaving the child in that home. That said Dulf wasn't delusional. He knew he hadn't helped that situation, but still there was guilt there. The sooner he could see Hugo out of it the better.

Dulf held onto the child just a bit longer. Slowly he let the boy go before he spoke up. "You're here to meet the family and come home now." He told the soon-to-be werewolf, softly. There was nothing but warmth and affection in his voice as he talked to the boy. Truth be told he was just glad he didn't have to make the child's life worse before it got better anymore. He began to lead him toward the pack house, gesturing to the large, but not particularly elaborate structure. "Here's where we all live. I know it's not as nice as your parents' place but it's a real home. When we fight here, it gets settled quickly." he told the boy.

As they drew closer the sounds of the small party that had kicked off could be heard. Werewolves. Rough men and women yes, but all of them were caring. They'd treat this young man like family too, once he was bitten - even beforehand they weren't likely to be unreasonable if the child stuck close to Dulf.

hugo granger-weasley

[hugo granger-weasley]

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The way that Hugo and Dulf embraced was like a father and son. Similar in a way to the way that Hugo would have hugged Ron after one of his war stories. Hugo was a history buff. He loved it more than anything but as the man ended the hug he could have sworn that he could hear the faint sound of howling and the base thumping. Was that from deeper within the structure of the house.

It was that distraction that caused him to miss the fact that Bardulf never intended to let the boy return home to his parents. It was comforting to hear however that when arguments broke out they were settled quickly... much unlike the arguments that his parents had been having lately. 

As they got closer to the house the sounds of a party got louder and louder and so too did the curiosity that stemmed from childhood.  

"Hunter... what are they celebrating?"

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TAGGED: @dulf

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[Deleted]

Dulf heard his middle name and felt a pang of guilt. "Listen... My name's not Hunter." He confessed. "It's Dulf. Bardulf Barrows... I gave you my middle name because If you talked to your mum about me I could have gotten into a lot of trouble... I'm sorry." He told the youth. He cared, for reasons he wasn't even sure about himself, about Hugo. He didn't enjoy lying to the child, or involving children of his age in his schemes and plots at all - but this kid was an important one, and, Dulf reminded himself, he was saving the young man from living in a broken home. Still. The child had asked a question, and Dulf wasn't sure how best to answer it. He didn't want to lie again.

"Well... We've got someone new joining the family tonight." He said honestly, not letting on that that person was Hugo. He'd obviously not caught on yet and Dulf, on second thought, believed it was possibly better not to rush the child that much. "Of course that's why we bought you here - for the party." It wasn't exactly a lie but it wasn't the whole truth. Dulf put a hand on the child's shoulder. encouragingly. He knew this wasn't likely to be an extremely child friendly party, but he was fairly certain the pack would keep the more... Adult behaviour out of sight.

Bardulf lead his friend into the pack house now. He had left a smaller, calmer party than this, it seemed as though firewhiskey had gotten around while was gone. Dulf moved over to the coffee table and proceeded to pour himself a firewhiskey. Yes this was immediately negligent to his charge, but honestly, Dulf had never been good at looking after anything. He knew this, but he didn't have the mindfulness, when it came to things like this to change that behaviour.

[hugo granger-weasley]

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Confusion filled the boy's face as Bardulf explained that he had been lied to. Why would his mother do that? The man was a friend. He wasn't dangerous... well other than being a werewolf but he would never tell his mother that... so why would she care about the man's identity? In fact that startling revelation only added to the tension that was going on between him and his parents. Parents should be happy that their children made new friends... not get those friends in trouble... right?

"You wanted me to party with you guys to celebrate a new pack member? Why's that?"

It was only natural for him to feel a little confused about that statement. He thought that parties like that would have been strictly for the family and not for friends such as himself. None the less though he felt honored to be included in this celebration... to feel wanted and cared about which was something that lacked a bit at home at this present point in time. 

He followed Dulf to a coffee table and watched as he poured himself a glass of firewhiskey. It was a drink that he had seen his father drink a few times before but it was one that he had never actually been allowed to try before. When he had asked if he could try some he had been given no explanation as to why he couldn't try some. He did know though that funny things started to happen to his father after a few glasses.

"Dulf... can I have some more?"

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TAGGED: @dulf

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[Deleted]

Bardulf saw the look on the child's face when he had explained the lie and it was the first time in quite a while that he had ever felt particularly bad about something he'd done. Attacking a hospital was one thing, savaging a student was another, but lying to a child who had put trust in him? He had done it at the time without a second thought, now he realised he had began his relationship with someone who he was beginning to care quite a lot about with falsehoods. Bardulf wasn't pleased with himself and he felt immediate regret once he had processed the situation. He was none too happy about it. He could also see the wheels turning in the young man's brain. He needed to quell that thought before Hugo was too panicked and became unreasonable. Dulf let his mind reach into the young man's. He showed him a taste of the fondness he felt.

There was no chance Dulf would willingly harm Hugo at this point - beyond a bite of course, but that was to be expected. That was why he had bought the young man here, and that was a thought that the werewolf didn't particularly wnat to transmit to the other. He kept it to himself. Though then Hugo asked the question about exactly that and Dulf thought. He wasn't sure if he wanted to lie again. He allowed a long pause to settle between them as he sipped his drink, studying the other. His mind still flowing into the boy's for the most part as he savoured the taste. Hence he was surprised only momentarily when the young man asked for a drink.

Dulf faltered, but saw this as an opportunity to by time and to think abbout how best to explain to the child that soon, Hugo Weasley would be a member of the pack. "Sure." Dulf answered, not really considering the problems that may have resulted from a drunk child. He poured the young man a dram of firewhiskey into one of the glasses on the table and handed it to him. "It'll burn a little. Don't worry, that's normal." He told the young man. He never really intended for the child to get drunk in this exchange. One shot propbably wouldn't do it he thought. Not considering the idea that the nine year old might help himself to more, or that he might simply be a lightweight, even for his age.

[hugo granger-weasley]

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When Dulf had agreed to allow him to drink the whiskey a grin spread from ear to ear. He had been preparing himself to be dismissed. To be told no, just like his father told him multiple times. He had never thought that Dulf would actually let him drink more. However as the drink was poured, Dulf would be able to see the excitement that hung around Hugo's first drink.

It was a rather primitive excitement, one that went back decades to medieval times, but of course the young boy didn't know that this in fact was alcohol let alone the consequences that it had on circumstances in one's every day life. He nodded, showing that he understood that burning would be normal. 

His hand gripped the glass, staring at the dark amber liquid before him before grabbing the glass. He drank the liquid like it were soda. No stopping, just gulp after gulp until it was gone, the slight burning in his throat feeling rather pleasurable. He could see why his father drank it now, and sometimes more than one glass. The taste however was something that he wasn't too sure of. Did he like it or was it horrible?

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TAGGED: @dulf

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[Deleted]

Fire whiskey warmed from the throat all the way down. It left you feeling warmer and more at ease than you had been a moment earlier, at least that was in Dulf's experience. He always sipped his and enjoyed it slowly, though as he saw the young man - eight years away from being legally allowed to touch the stuff- gulp down his drink, Dulf was surprised, blinking as he saw Hugo down the substance. It shocked a slight laugh out of him and that was when Dulf's eyes fell on the new pledge. The other who would be joining the pack that evening. The young man who had already been turned was ready to make his vows.

Dulf's attention focused when the party fell silent and the vows began. The man knelt shirtless ready to take his pledge. Dulf stood, approaching the other. He hadn't forgotten Hugo but he thought perhaps that the younger would realise that there was some sort of show going on, and stop to watch. Of course the whiskey was well within the young man's reach and more than available to him if he had decided he was going to have fun. Dulf hadn't even considered the possibility that the young man might decide to drink some more - or thought about what would happen if he did.

Dulf played his part, hearing the young man's vows, giving the appropriate responses, his eyes lingered on the wounds inflicted on the man. This hadn't been a careful turning with wolfsbane potion, it had been a savage one, with bites adorning one arm from wrist to shoulder. as well as across the chest and stomach. Truth be told Dulf was a little surprised the man had survived thee incident that lead to his turning - and even more so that he had decided to join a pack afterward. Was it one of Dulf's packmates that turned him? Obviously Bardulf himself didn't remember.

"Welcome to the pack!" Dulf declared finally, at the end of the rather rehearsed ceremony, to the cheers of his packmates

The next step began, Dulf moved to rejoin Hugo as the new pack pledge was being adorned with the tattoo above his heart that would mark him as a member of the pack. Dulf couldn't stop grinning as he saw his new brother being sworn in. Dulf turned to Hugo, speaking up. "The reason you're here is you're like family to me." He told the other, deciding that soon enoughit would be true. "And when we're bringing someone else into the family, shouldn't we have you here to celebrate too?" He asked the other warmly, clapping the young man on the shoulder.

[hugo granger-weasley]

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As he stood there, debating whether he had enjoyed the wizarding drink theat he had been given, silence fell across the room. His eyes quickly found the heavily scarred man knealing upon the floor through a gap in the pack. Confusion was clear upon the nine year old's face as he looked towards the pack's alpha.

"Dulf... what's going on? What is he doing?"

However he was ignored whilst Dulf walked towards the man who kneeled upon the ground. He watched as lines were exchanged and when others cheered, so too did Hugo. After all, if the others were cheering it was a good thing right? Whilst the man moved to go get tattooed the crowd once again became a rowdy bunch with drinks in hand. 

And soon he was no longer on his own again as Dulf rejoined him from the ceremony.

Pride enveloped the boy's heart as Dulf spoke. The pride that came with knowing that he was loved and cared about by another being (whether they be human or in this case werewolf). That pride showed through a grin upon his face, and to be honest he was starting to feel more relaxed and comfortable in this place than the place that his parents owned. He was too young to suspect that it might have been the effect of the alcohol that he had gulped down like it was coca-cola however, although his mouth did feel rather dry and the only drink he could see in the area was the firewhisky.

"Please Dulf, can I have some more?"

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TAGGED: @dulf

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[Deleted]

Dulf looked at Hugo, a little surprised he had such a passion for Firewhiskey. At such a young age Bardulf was fairly certain he'd have hated the stuff himself. "All right. You can have a bit more." He said pouring the boy another measure of the drink. He was going to be careful and not let the child have too much, he thought. Of course he'd neither conveyed this concern to his pack mates, not had he considered at all that he may need to keep an eye on the boy's alcohol consumption. At least not beyond the simple, dawning thought that it might make Hugo a little more open to the significant suggestion that Dulf wanted to pose to him soon. He passed the glass to Hugo. "I can find you some pumpkin juice or something if you'd prefer?" He asked still happy to let the boy get the drink into his system for now. The nine year old's small body wouldn't withstand too much more.

Dulf wanted to make sure Hugo felt accommodated and he had discussed this with members of his pack a few of them were now looking at the young man with interest. They'd noticed him. Of course they all knew who he was and what Dulf had been up to. A couple of members of the pack began to introduce themselves. Dulf of course knew that most of these were not -good- people by moral standards, and he had no illusions about his own good nature but at the same time they looked after their own and they knew that's what Dulf had planned for the youth. Some members of the pack had even taken the liberty of buying Christmas presents for the young wizard. Nothing elaborate or huge, of course, but none the less a kind gesture to the young man, designed to earn his trust. Dulf for his part had gotten two. One, the stuffed wolf that Hugo had used to come here - not laying lost out in the yard. The other was the largest gift Hugo was to be given, and the one that would need to wait until the boy had taken his vows.

Dulf looked encouragingly at the boy as he was given his trinkets. He had gone all out to make sure that Hugo felt at home here.

[hugo granger-weasley]

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His eyes followed the drink as it fell into the glass that he had been drinking from, a smile on his face. The firewhiskey was providing him with a new found confidence, and he really wasn't too sure why exactly that was. Was there some sort of enchantment within this drink that caused people to do funny things yet feel confident to do so? He reached out and grabbed the glass, pulling it towards him once the pour was finished. 

Once again, he downed the drink like it was soda... having not received any feedback on how he had managed to get it all wrong. Sooner or later those two drinks were going to hit him like a truck but of course he was young. He had yet to learn that lesson.

As the pack began to introduce themselves to him however he felt a little bewildered. Why were they doing this for little old him? Was this all real or was he dreaming? He looked towards Dulf, that bewilderment in his eyes. Did this always happen when a kid came to visit?

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TAGGED: @dulf

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[Deleted]

Dulf kept an eye on his young friend as the introductions were made, as he received gifts. He could see the bewilderment on the young man's face, and he spoke up. It wasn't the best lie in the world but it's what he had, and he was speaking to a nine year old, thus he wasn't terribly troubled with the believability of it. "It would be rude to invite you here during Christmas and get you nothing." Dulf told the young man, with a grin. Bardulf wanted to give the young man something more - but most of what he was going to get couldn't come tonight. Dulf's job at this point was to keep him here to give him the gift of a strong, loyal family when the moon was full. Such would take time, though.

Dulf thought about the young man in an increasingly paternal way. He was glad to see that Hugo was enjoying the attention he was showed, even if it stunned and surprised him. He wanted Hugo to be happy, and he liked to think he was accomplishing that. He looked down at the boy and simply smiled to him.

[Deleted]

Something not too unusual was the late arrival of another pack member. He knew of course that today was important and so slipped in quietly, letting the festivities and noise drown out his apparition bringing him to the yard. There he spotted the stuffed wolf and picked it up, taking it inside knowing it was for Hugo, and was once Dulf's. Once inside Ty set down the toy, taking off his jacket to set that down to once he'd taken out the small gift he'd brought for the boy.

He wasn't too keen on this, luring in a child with promises - even if they were promises that would be honored and the boy's immediate family were no good. He fully supported helping those living in broken homes or harmful environments, it was why he still lived at home with his family after all, to protect his brothers and sisters. It was the prospect of Dulf turning Hugo when the boy was still so young that Ty didn't agree with. Again that was a personal thing. He'd been turned as a boy after all.

That being said, he kept concerns about it to himself. Hugo wouldn't be alone with his change at least, that's what Dulf was doing all this for after all. Welcoming the boy so he knew it was safe here. The blue eyed male glanced around before making his way over as he spotted their Alpha with the guest of the night. He held out the gift to Hugo, eyeing the glasses before looking to Dulf. "Why are you letting him drink firewhiskey Dulf?" the ex-healer grumbled.