money from it, so please Mrs. Rowling if you read this
don’t sue me. A comment or two would be welcome
though.
Please, if you read, take two minutes to review.
Harry lay in his bed; the first prophecy was weighing heavily on him. Harry knew that he wasn’t ready to fight Voldemort “ that almost everything all of the people around him did was an attempt to train him, give him some new skill so that he could fight and win. He was doing everything he could to make sure that he took it all in. He just hoped that not too many people were being hurt by Voldemort while he was being trained.
He also knew he was being protected from what was going on in the war against Voldemort. He was protecting himself too, purposely avoiding any news of attacks or killings that might have occurred; he couldn’t take the guilt that he felt when he heard about them. It was impossible not to hear some things but he was determined not to run off to save the world only to end up condemning it by getting himself killed. Hermione had taught him well.
Harry shook his head clearing, his mind of bad thoughts. He looked over to see if Ron had come back from sitting with Ginny. He was still gone. Dumbledore had made arrangements for all of the prefects from each house to have their own rooms, leaving it up to them to decide if they wanted to move out of the dorm room they were in currently. Ron was one of the few who had stayed in his old room.
It had been a week since Hermione had told Harry and Ron Ginny’s secret. Harry had yet to sit with her at night. He and Ginny might think of themselves as brother and sister, but he wasn’t sure Dumbledore would agree. So he sat with her during the day, after the nights when she refused to let Ron or Hermione sit with her.
Harry had noticed a remarkable improvement in Ginny almost immediately. The first DA meeting after Hermione had sat with her, Ginny had throw off the Imperious Curse from himself, Ron, Hermione, Luna and Neville at the same time.
He wasn’t sure all of the improvement was going to be for the better though. It had been awhile since the last time Ginny had gone off on him, but at Quidditch practice last night she had reached a new level again. Ron and Katie had wanted someone to fly against Harry while he chased the snitch, Ginny had volunteered. During the second run she had beaten him. It had infuriated her.
“He’s not done with practice until I say so!” she had stormed at Ron when he tried to end practice after that.
Harry recalled the next five runs vividly. He had won each time, but Ginny pushed him harder than ever.
Viktor Krum, who had been helping at the practice, had left the field shaking his head, mumbling something about being glad that he was retired and didn’t have an insane little sister. Ginny had refused to talk to Harry the rest of the night. He was still stinging from her rebukes.
Along with Ginny’s improvement he had also noticed that both Ron and Hermione were not themselves. They were tired; Hermione had almost made a mistake in potions before she caught it. Ron had regressed in his ability against the Imperious curse, only able to fight off three people when he had been fighting five for weeks.
I think we should sit with her tonight….If she’s talking to us today, the voices said.
We’ll have to sit on the couch in the common area. I’m not comfortable in hers and Hermione’s room for the whole night, Harry replied.
We aren’t either, but we need to help Ron and Hermione. It is going to take a while for the three of us to adjust to this.
Well it will be a good night to do it. It’s the first day of the Christmas Holiday. I think the four of us are the only ones in the school for the next two weeks, Harry told the voices. And then, deciding it was late enough to wake the others he rolled out of bed.
Harry walked into Hermione and Ginny’s new room. Hermione was awake, sitting on her bed, already dressed. Ginny’s bed was empty, but she and Ron were on the couch still sound asleep.
“Good morning Harry, how did you sleep?” Hermione asked.
“Better than them,” he replied with a nod at Ron and Ginny.
“I heard about Quidditch yesterday. Viktor told me about it while I was waiting for Ron to come out of the locker rooms.” Harry looked at Hermione in alarm.
“Please tell me Ron knows you still talk to him.”
“Yes he does, he doesn’t like it a whole lot but he trusts me. I think he trusts Viktor too. He has really helped Ron and Katie with captain duties for the team this year. It helps that Viktor has a girlfriend too,” Hermione replied. Harry relaxed.
“Sorry Hermione, I just know how he reacted before. And I really prefer to be around you two when you’re not fighting with each other.”
“That’s ok, Harry. I am well aware of how much we hurt each other in the past. We’re both different people now….I realize now that most of what I did with Viktor was to get Ron’s attention. I should have just asked Ron out myself….But I was more scared than he was,” she said sadly, shaking her head.
“I always thought you were so smart. I’m not sure what gave me that impression,” Harry remarked, taking a verbal swipe at Hermione, before sitting down on the bed next to her. Hermione smacked him on the arm.
“Be careful, I might have to put a hex on you, Harry,” she said, smiling back at him. Harry ignored her threat. He pointed at the book.
“What do you have there?”
“You two aren’t going to stop talking about me are you?” Ron asked from across the room.
“You were listening!” Hermione hissed, and threw a pillow at him. “You truly are a git, Ronald Weasley.” Ron returned her insult with a dopy grin.
“Do you still love me?” Hermione glared at him.
“Yes, I still love you Ronald, even if you are a git.”
“Good, because I couldn’t stand it if you didn’t,” Ron replied, still with his stupid grin.
“Puhlezze, you two are going to make Harry and I sick if you keep it up,” Ginny, without lifting her head from Ron’s lap, interjected herself into the conversation.
“Good morning Big Brother,” she added a moment later.
“You’re talking to me again now?” Harry asked. He had intended it to sound angry, but it came out sounding more hopeful.
“It’s a new day, Harry.” Harry felt his heart rise. He didn’t understand why, but not meeting Ginny’s expectations hurt him deeply.
“Don’t let me down today, Harry James,” Ginny added curtly, still lying with her head on Ron’s lap; she hadn’t even opened her eyes. Harry, Ron and Hermione exchanged looks before shaking their heads.
“You know, Gin, you can be very scary at times,” Ron remarked quietly to her.
“Good,” Ginny replied. The room was quiet for a minute before Ginny spoke again.
“So, you were going to tell us what was in your book, Hermione?” Harry shook his head; she still hadn’t even opened her eyes, but her perception of the room was dead on. Hermione, with one last shake of her head, started in.
“Who wants an early Christmas present?” she asked, looking around and grinning brightly at each of them in turn.
“I never complain about getting gifts,” Harry replied.
“Yeah ‘Mione, what have you got for us?” Ron added. Ginny sat up and looked at Hermione expectantly. Hermione, seeing that she had their attention continued.
“Well, I’m not really sure how much use it will be. But I thought it would be fun if the four of us learned the Animagus Transformation. So, I figured out how to do it.” Ginny darted to Hermione’s bed, leaving Ron sitting with a surprised look on his face.
“Mental,” he mumbled walking over to join them.
“I’ve been looking for that for ages, where did you find it?” Ginny demanded.
“I snuck it out of the restricted section last year. I have been studying it ever since,” Hermione replied. Harry and Ron looked at each other incredulously. Hermione’s affinity for breaking school rules was growing by the day. Ginny however, was simply impressed.
“Good for you Hermione, I’m proud of you.”
“Thank you, Ginny.”
“You know, you two are starting to make Harry and I look like saints,” Ron said. “The worst thing we’ve done this year is sneaking you two into the boy’s bathroom. And here you are stealing books from the restricted section and now you’re going to want Harry and I to become animagi. I assume we are not going to register?” he finished glaring at Hermione. She pouted back at him. Ron melted a second later.
“Sounds like fun, how do we do it?” he asked.
“Yeah Hermione, how do we do it?” Harry pushed.
“Well it is basically just transfiguration, but it is really difficult. You have to make sure you don’t lose your concentration, because if you get stuck in the middle, they sometimes can’t fix you.
“Maybe this isn’t going to be as much fun as I thought,” Ron said gloomily. “I can just see spending the rest of my life with an orangutan’s head.” Harry laughed at him.
“Come on Ron, if my dad and Sirius can teach that traitor how to do it, Hermione should be able to teach us.”
“Be quiet, both of you,” Ginny snarled at them. She then turned back to Hermione. “How do we do it Hermione?” Hermione looked at the book again.
“Well once you get good at it, it is just a matter of thinking about your animal form. You basically decide to just change. When you are transformed, even though you still know everything about who you were, the only wizarding skill you retain is the ability to change back to human form. The problem in learning is that you don’t know what shape to take.”
“So how do you do it the first few times?” Harry asked. Hermione smiled.
“Come with me,” she said, as she led them into the bathroom she and Ginny shared.
“With this,” Hermione said, pointing to a potion brewing in a small solid gold cauldron.
“It’s called the Animagi Potion. I have been brewing it for six months now. I had it in Moaning Myrtles bathroom, but was able to move it here last week,” she said, while setting up three other small golden cauldrons and dividing the potion into them.
“Hermione, you could have told me. I would have paid for those cauldrons. They must have cost a fortune,” Harry stammered at her.
“I told you. This is what I’m giving you for Christmas. You might as well be happy with it, because it’s all you and Ginny are getting. I might have something else for you though, Ronald,” she said, smiling at him. Ron scowled.
“I can’t get you anything like this,” he mumbled softly to her.
“I already have what I want from you, Ronald.” Ron looked at Hermione, confusion on his face. Hermione drifted up to him. She kissed her finger and reached up to touch his lips.
“Your heart Ronald, you gave it to me. That is all I want from you,” Hermione whispered to him. Harry got the feeling that neither Ron nor Hermione remembered that he and Ginny were still standing there. He turned around, trying to give them a little privacy. Ginny was staring at the floor.
“Erm….Hermione you were telling us about the Animagi Potion,” Ginny interrupted after a few seconds.
“What….Oh yes, well anyways it’s ready now. There is a cauldron for each of us. All we have to do is add two of our own hairs to the potion. We only need to put a single drop in our mouths. The animal you are supposed to be will come into your head. The potion will help you focus on your animal form. You then have to decide to take that form. I brewed enough potion for each of us so we will have plenty to practice with until we don’t need help anymore,” Hermione explained.
“I want to go first,” Ginny said excitedly. Ron groaned.
“Mum’s going to kill me,” he mumbled. Ginny ignored him. Taking one of the cauldrons over to the sink she pulled out her wand and inscribed a large (G) on the outside of it.
“Just two hairs Hermione?” she asked. Hermione nodded.
“Hermione, you’re sure you brewed the potion correctly,” Harry asked cautiously as he watched Ginny pluck two hairs from her head and drop them into her cauldron. It began to steam and hiss a second later. Hermione had walked over next to Ginny and was peering into the cauldron. The potion had turned flaming red in color.
“It’s correct. It is supposed to match colors with the hair that is placed in it. It will only turn the correct color if it was brewed properly,” Hermione replied.
Ginny put the tip of her finger in the cauldron and placed the drop on her tongue. Harry felt Ron cringe beside him. He wasn’t feeling particularly well himself.
Oh….Wow, the voices in Ginny’s gushed as the image leapt into her mind.
Hush, concentrate on changing now, she told them.
Harry, Ron and Hermione watched in stunned silence. Ginny was gone, in her place was brilliant red phoenix.
“Her eyes are amazing,” Hermione said. Harry was focused on the eyes too. They were the richest, deepest, chocolate brown he had ever seen. What was most amazing though was the way the color seemed to swirl in them. Tumbling and churning like a muddy river, swollen from a recent rainfall.
“Ginny, you’re beautiful,” Ron whispered in awe.
Ginny leapt into the air, flying to Ron’s shoulder, she nuzzled his cheek. Feeling his body grow light, Ron reached up and took hold of her tail feathers.
“Ginny, can you lift me?” he asked. The next thing Harry and Hermione knew, Ron was floating near the ceiling while Ginny’s wings beat slowly in the air. Ron laughed then dropped to the floor.
“I don’t believe it. Do you think she has all the powers of a real Phoenix?” he asked. Harry reached into his pocket searching for the knife that Sirius had given him. Pulling it out, he opened the blade.
“Harry what are you doing?” Hermione hissed at him, as he drew the blade along his arm cutting a large gash into it.
“Phoenix tears have healing powers,” he said, gritting his teeth against the pain, while holding his arm out. Ginny settled on his hand. Her head turned and tears dropped from her eye onto Harry’s cut arm. The bleeding stopped and the cut began to heal over, leaving a thin white scar on Harry’s arm. Ginny was singing, though it was a little softer, it was the same haunting song that Fawkes sang.
“I want to try,” Ron whispered. “Unless someone else wants to go first,” he added, looking at Harry and Hermione. Ginny changed back to her human form.
“Let Hermione go first Ron, she made the potion,” Ginny said.
“Go ahead Hermione,” Harry and Ron urged her.
“Use the voices, Hermione. They can help you focus your mind,” Ginny added, as Hermione marked the first caldron with a large (HG) then placed two hairs in the potion and waited for it to turn brown. She placed a drop on her tongue, and focused her mind on the image that sprang into her head.
Harry and Ginny leapt back, forgetting that the large golden lioness with dark brown whiskers snarling in front of them was Hermione. Ron however, knelt down on the floor to look in her eyes. They were black as the night; and Harry could see a perfect image of Ron reflected in them.
Hermione padded over to Ron and nuzzled his face. She opened her mouth wide around his neck and gently pressed her fangs on his flesh. Harry and Ginny stood stock still not daring to breathe.
“I love you too, Mione,” Ron said quietly. Harry could hear a low rumble coming from the giant cat. Hermione let go of Ron’s neck and nuzzled his face again before padding over to Harry and Ginny. She began to lean on their legs rubbing against them like Crookshanks did when he wanted attention. Harry and Ginny sank down to stroke her head.
“She’s purring,” Harry laughed when he realized what the rumble coming from the giant cat’s throat was.
“Hello, Hermione,” Ginny whispered, “I always knew, even though you were beautiful, that you could be terrifying.” Hermione pawed at Harry and Ginny’s hands pushing them together.
“You want us to hold hands?” Harry asked. The rumbling noise increased, so he took Ginny’s hand in his, holding it in front of Hermione. She opened her mouth and closed her fangs down on their hands gently. She held them there, signaling that they could command her, but demanding something in return.
“We love you too, Hermione,” Harry and Ginny said together, as they wrapped their arms around her neck. Hermione released her grip on them and backed away a step. Suddenly, she spun around snarling as she leapt across the room in one bound at Ron. He didn’t flinch as the charging lioness descended on him. Hermione transformed to human form in mid leap, landing with her arms around his neck, she kissed him.
“I didn’t scare you at all, did I?” she asked him.
“No Hermione, there is only one thing I’m scared of anymore,” he replied. Hermione kissed him again.
“Your turn, love,” she said to him breathlessly. Harry and Ginny again found themselves feeling like intruders.
“You two really are sick you know,” Ginny remarked, from the other side of the room. She was beaming at them when she said it though.
“Sorry,” Hermione and Ron mumbled sheepishly at her, both turning red.
“It’s ok,” Harry replied. “It reminds me what I am fighting for.” He smiled at the two of them. Ginny grabbed Harry around the neck, planting a big kiss on his cheek.
“You really are the most amazing person I know, Harry James Potter,” she said. Harry turned red from her praise.
“Get off of me, Ginny,” he yelped trying to extract himself from her embrace. “You really can be a nutter some times, you know?” Hermione and Ron were laughing at him.
“Oh….Is my big strong brother embarrassed by his little sister?” Ginny teased not letting him get away. Harry couldn’t believe how strong she was, finally resorting to tickling her to get away.
“You’re mental, Ginny,” he said smiling at her. Ginny stuck her tongue out in reply.
“Are you two finished? I want to see what Ron’s animagus is,” Hermione interrupted.
“Go ahead.” She pushed him towards one of the two remaining cauldrons. Ginny stuck her finger in her throat pretending to gag. Harry just laughed at her. Ron marked his cauldron with a large (R) then added two of his hairs. The potion turned the same brilliant red as Ginny’s had.
“Remember to use the voices, Ronald,” Hermione said nervously, as he placed a drop of the potion on his tongue. The image of his animagus flooded into his mind.
“Cool….” Harry heard him say just before Ron turned into a giant male lion with a huge shaggy red mane. The lion let out a terrific roar that caused both Harry and Ginny to jump even after going through the same shock with Hermione’s transformation.
Harry watched as the Ron padded over to him. He could see the muscle rippling under his skin. There was nothing hiding the raw power that existed there. Harry took Ginny’s hand in his again and offered them to Ron in the same manner they had with Hermione. Ron placed his fangs around their hands and pressed down hard enough to leave marks then released them.
“We love you too Ron,” Ginny said.
“Yeah mate,” Harry added softly.
Suddenly Ron was attacked by Hermione, she had transformed back into her lion form again. Harry watched, fascinated as the two snarling forms fought back and forth. If he hadn’t known better he would have thought they were really fighting. After about thirty seconds Ron overpowered Hermione, slamming her on her back on the hard floor with his jaws firmly clamped around her neck. Hermione transformed back into her human form and wrapped her arms around the great shaggy neck.
“I love you, Ronald,” she said softly. Ron released her and changed back to his human form. He stood up and pulled Hermione up with him. Harry could see both of their eyes alive with fire.
“I guess you two must have been born to be together,” he said shaking his head. “Remind me to carry a raw steak or two from now on will you, Ginny? I really don’t want to be around them when they get hungry the next time.” Ginny snorted.
“Your turn, Harry,” she said giving him a shove. Harry took the last cauldron, marked it with a large (HP) then added two of his hairs. He placed a drop on his tongue.
We need more room, the voices said in awe. Harry ran into the bedroom.
This should be enough, he said to them.
“Where’s he going?” Ron shouted, tearing after Harry. Ginny and Hermione followed close behind. Ron was greeted at the door by a wall of fire.
“Ronald!” Hermione screamed.
“PROTEGO!” he roared, throwing up a shield without thinking. It wasn’t necessary as the flames never quiet reached the doorway. Ron poked his head cautiously into the bedroom, maintaining the shield spell protecting himself, while using another to keep Hermione and Ginny behind him.
“Bloody Hell!” he gasped in amazement.
“Harry?” he asked. A short blast of flame came in response.
“Ron, get out of the way before I hurt you,” Ginny demanded from behind him. Ron turned around to face them.
“Sorry….but you’re not going to believe this,” he said, stepping out of the way. Ginny moved quickly past him. Hermione looked at Ron questioningly. He nodded at her.
“Go ahead, its ok.” Hermione walked into the bedroom followed by Ron.
“Oh my….” she said in understatement.
Harry’s animagus form was a Hungarian Hortail. He had shiny black scales that reflected like mirrors except on his left front leg, where she could see the scars that had been left in his arm from the Basalisk Fang and the cut he had made in his arm that morning. There was also a white scar on his head marking the spot where Voldemort’s curse had hit him sixteen years ago. He was about twenty feet long with four very large spikes on his tail. His glistening translucent black wings were folded along his sides and his eyes instead of yellow were, if possible, an even more brilliant emerald green than in his human form. Short flames shot out of his nose with each breath. Ginny had climbed up on his back and was sitting with her arms wrapped around his neck.
“Isn’t he beautiful?” she asked. Harry turned his head on his long neck to face her, shooting flames to within an inch of her skin. Ginny didn’t even blink.
“Don’t you dare threaten me.” Ginny laughed at him.
Harry sent another short blast of flames at her. Ginny just laughed again.
“Come on you two. There is room enough for all of us.” Hermione grabbed Ron’s hand and climbed up on Harry’s back behind Ginny. Ron settled in behind her.
“Harry, this is amazing. Both you and Ginny have animagi that are magical creatures. I don’t know if this has ever happened before. Certainly not on the registry lists that I have seen,” Hermione gushed.
“Harry, you have to take us flying. All of us,” Ginny said excitedly.
“We can’t do that, Ginny,” Hermione said sharply. “This is supposed to be secret. It’s not like we can hide under the invisibility cloak.” Ginny smiled at her and Ron. Ron caught the gleam in her eyes.
Uh-oh, the voices said at once in his head.
“Ginny, haven’t we done enough that we’re not supposed to today?” he asked, knowing that it was useless.
Invisible to everyone but each other; Ginny, Hermione and Ron clung to Harry’s back as he blazed across the sky. Ginny had managed to extend her invisibility spell to encompass all of them including Harry in his dragon form. Harry couldn’t believe how fast he was. Just slower by a tick than his Firebolt, he thought. Maybe faster if he wasn’t carrying his three friends. Harry spiraled to the ground changing to his human shape as he landed. The four of them crashed into a pile in the snow, staying there tangled together until it got to cold to sit anymore.
“I’m starving,” Ron said. “We missed breakfast and lunch you know.” Harry was startled. They had been so involved in what went on that day that they forgot to eat.
“Come on Ronald. I’ll race you to the hall,” Hermione challenged him placing a drop of the animagi potion on her tongue from the vial in her pocket. She changed into her lion form and swatted at him playfully. Ron changed forms and Hermione took off with him chasing her.
“I think we can beat them both,” Ginny said taking out her vial of the potion and smiling at Harry.
“We’re supposed to keep this a secret you know,” Harry reminded her.
“Oh come on, Harry. There is no one here.” She waved her arm around. “Besides if anyone sees us they’ll just think I’m Fawkes. It’s up to you though. Walk or fly, Harry.” And she transformed before his eyes. Harry took hold of her tail and they were gone. By the time Ron and Hermione walked into the Great Hall, Harry and Ginny were already eating.
Dumbledore stood looking out the window of his office, shaking his head.
“Fawkes,” he spoke softly to the phoenix on his shoulder, “will you please ask Hagrid and Professor Grubby Plank to my office. They will need to know that there are two fully grown, but harmless lions living in the forest.”
Hermione was correct you know. There are no records of an animagus that took the form of a magical creature, the voices spoke up. Dumbledore just smiled.
Harry sat with Ginny on the couch in the common room, her head resting in his lap.
“Do you think Ron and Hermione are happy with their animagus?” Ginny asked. Harry was quiet for a while before responding.
“The form of your animagus is supposed to reflect your personality. I think both of them fit really well. Ron is a lion, one of the most feared non-magical beasts in the world. It is well know for fearing nothing. He shows that every day by staying true to me when it would be easier to run and hide.
“Hermione is a lioness, a creature that above all else nurtures her family. Hermione acts a lot like your mum. She is the one you went to for help Ginny; because you instinctively knew Hermione would help you. She is just like the lioness in that she rarely will fight to defend herself, yet becomes more ferocious than the male lion when defending her cubs. Kind of like this summer during the fight with Draco. She was injured, but stopped the fight because none of her family was in danger. But then some girl calls Luna Lovegood a name and Hermione curses her for two weeks.”
“You sound like Dumbledore, Harry,” Ginny replied. “And are you happy with you animagus Harry?” she asked a few moments later. Harry sighed.
“It suits me. Dragons have long been associated with strength and the warrior. I am beginning to accept that I was put here to fight. I was born to be a warrior. Though, I think I might have preferred to be a dolphin, flipping carefree through the air after jumping out of the water,” he added
“Dolphins travel in packs. They will attack and kill a shark that threatens one of their family, Harry,” Ginny replied softly. Harry was quiet for a long time.
“How is it that both of my sisters are so much smarter than I am?” he asked her, brushing a strand of hair from her face.
“Because we’re girls, Harry. We’re supposed to be smarter than you are,” Ginny replied. Harry laughed
“And you, Ginny, are you happy with your animagus?” Ginny, like Harry sighed deeply at the question.
“It suits me, Harry. The phoenix rises from the ashes of its own death. I was as close to death in the Chamber with Tom as any person alive today. Thanks to you I rose from the ashes.” The calm coldness in Ginny’s voice was startling.
“Ginny, I never….”
“Through my own weakness, I lured you and Ron into a trap that could have easily killed both of you,” Ginny interrupted him. “It took a long time for me to forgive myself, Harry. You were tricked too. I know Sirius died, so there is a difference between what happened to you and me. But you have to forgive yourself to, Harry. In the end the only one to blame is Tom.” Harry was speechless. His tears rolled down his face and dripped on Ginny. Harry wiped his face and dried the spot on her cheek.
“Thank you, Ginny,” he whispered. Her only reply was to take his hand in hers. Harry looked up at a noise that came from the corner. In the doorway he could see Hermione watching them.
“Sorry Harry, I got lonely and was coming out to sit with you two. I didn’t mean to eavesdrop on you.” Harry smiled.
“You better go get Ron if you’re going to sleep out here with us. He’ll be mad if he gets left out.”
“He’s already here,” she replied, pointing as Ron padded around the back of the couch in his animagus. Ron grabbed Harry’s leg in his mouth and pulled him to the floor. Ginny had no choice but to come with him.
“Watch it you mangy flea bag,” she snarled at him. Ron lay down on his side on the rug.
“What, we’re supposed to use you as a pillow?” Harry asked in surprise. Ron swatted at him. Hermione changed forms and padded over and lay down next to him. Ginny shrugged at Harry.
“I guess we’re all sleeping out here tonight,” she said pushing Harry up against Hermione so she could put her head in his lap again. “Goodnight you three,” she said, as she wrapped her hand around Harry’s wrist.
I hope Dumbledore doesn’t kill us, the voices whispered in Harry’s head.
Let him, I would die happy, Harry replied before falling asleep.
Author's note: