Chapter 26

                                        

                                              
Published: 6/20/25

Harry wagged his tail as Draco used magic to build a dog door into the sliding back door. He licked the side of Draco's face as he sat on the floor, working out the magic.
"Potter!" he grumbled and rubbed his sleeve against his face.
Harry whined and laid down next to Draco as he worked. Draco bit his lip, so adorably as he fangled the hinge spell. Malfoy didn't seem really to know many spells. Harry understood that he had to live without magic for several years, but Malfoy's day-to-day life had little magic. He cooked and cleaned, usually without magic. Harry's presence seemed to make him use his wand.
"There. Alright... give it a try," Draco said, scooting back.
Harry easily pushed open the swing door and went outside, then he came back in. Malfoy pulled him into his lap and gave him pets. Harry wound up on his back, looking up at Draco, enjoying the rubs.
"Aww... good boy," he said, but then he cupped Harry's face and looked into his eyes. "But if you run away... somehow... I'll take it off, okay? You better be still in the yard when I come home from work today, alright?"
Harry whined and wiggled to escape, and then he pushed Malfoy to the floor, laid on his stomach and lick-attacked his face. Malfoy only put up token resistance as Harry got his licks in.
"Gawd... you are too cute, Potter, but come on... stop!" Malfoy laughed. "I need to get ready for work. I'm going to be late!"
Harry got off him, and Draco hurriedly went to get dressed. Harry got his leftovers from the fridge and set them next to his keys on the table by the door. He nosed Malfoy's shoes upright and to the garage door, too. Then he got the umbrella out of the holder as it was England, and it smelled like rain. He held it in his mouth as Draco hurried out, dressed. 
"Alright... fuck where's my..." he stopped and looked at the food container, shoes, keys and the umbrella in Harry's mouth. "What... how... thank you."
He took the umbrella as he slipped into his shoes and grabbed his keys and lunch. He petted Harry. 
"Good boy?" Malfoy asked, confused, but had to leave. "Be good and don't run away, please."
Harry ran to the front door and watched Draco pull out the garage, back out the driveway and take off down the street in the opposite direction of the neighbor's house. Harry ran out the back door, hopped onto the roof and jumped down to the ground. Freedom!
Harry knew he had to be careful, so he snuck through the trees and slowly made his way to the neighbor's yard. He came across a fence, but Harry was now close enough to hear the dogs better. Whining... hurting... but some were aggressive dogs. Harry didn't want to hop the fence, so he observed. 
Eventually, the younger one, Hank, came out of the house, followed by Jacob and another hick. "Well, we should have enough for the next month. There's a Mals next door we want...."
"Aww, leave him, Hank. Don't need the fuzz looking 'round," Jacob said.
"I tried to go see if I could nab 'im... but I just couldn'... go. Weird. That pillow bitter ain't gonna do squat. We should...."
"Hank," the other hick huffed. "Don't go onto his property. He might have cameras. Leave the dog."
"Lester... he made our Rott scamper. He's a fighter. He'll win. The po-po can't just come out here."
"Too risky. Don't go there. I'm warnin' you," Lester, the apparent ringleader, ordered.
The three went into the building. Harry could hear whining and barking. He couldn't just tear into there, especially with jerks inside. Harry curled his lip, realizing that they were probably involved in dogfighting. He didn't remember much about it before he went to Hogwarts. Just that it was brutal and horrible for the dogs. 
He was going to take these fuckers down, one way or another. Unfortunately, ripping out their throats would only make him a target. Dogs who kill humans would be put down.
Harry patrolled the forest and grounds around Malfoy's house. He felt where the wards end and stayed within them. From what Harry saw, the neighbor's fence went around their whole property. Probably to trap loose dogs and deter visitors.
Harry went back home when the rain started to come in. The rain didn't bug him much, but Malfoy probably would be mad if he was wet in the house. Harry then realized he didn't have the deck to help him jump onto the roof. Harry managed to lunge and get a grip on the roof tiles with his claws. He lifted himself onto the roof and jumped down into the yard. He felt pleased with his adventure and dipped into his house as the raindrops started to fall.