The Truth Behind the Fur
It was a cold wintry night in 1995. Argus Filch, the caretaker of Hogwarts, was slowly making his way down to the dungeons. It had been an enjoyable evening; after all, the Yule Ball was about having a good time. He smiled to himself, remembering how nice it had been to dance the hours away. He was getting on in years, it was true, but old men deserved some joy in their lives, even if their only pleasure was in the form of an old cat.
He glanced at the ground next to him. There she was, trailing slightly behind. He bent down to scoop her up. It worried him that all the dancing they had done that evening might have exhausted her. After all, cats did have less energy than humans. His old bones creaked as he straightened up. Maybe he should have taken that potion Madam Pomfrey had offered him.
He made his way slowly down the dim corridor. It was quiet down here in the dungeons, but he could faintly hear the sounds of merry making coming from the great hall. He expected the party would last until around midnight, but both he and Mrs. Norris needed their rest.
Upon coming to a small door, he lit a lamp and went into to his living quarters. Soon he had a roaring fire going in the stone fireplace. There was a plate of chocolate chip cookies sitting on a table next to his rocking chair. He munched on one as he stared into the fire, absent-mindedly petting the purring cat on his lap. His thoughts travelled back to when he was a young man, living a dreary life of serving ungrateful customers at the Leaky Cauldron. He had stayed miserable until Amelia Norris had shown up and showed him what living was really like. However, her life had been far too short.
***************
–Hey there, handsome.†A young witch with wild blonde curls seated herself at on a barstool. Twenty-four year old Argus Filch scowled to himself. How could anyone be that happy when others were so miserable? He had seen this girl before, always laughing with her friends and flirting with other employees. It was despicable how she teased him. Could she not tell how unhappy he was? People seriously took magic for granted; being a Squib was hard work. Trying not to sound like a troll, he turned to the bubbly girl. –What do you want to drink?â€
The girl paid no mind to his forbidding face. –Just a butterbeer, please.†She looked surprised to see that he was drying a glass without magic. –Why don’t I dry that for you?†she asked. –Then you can sit and have a drink with me.†She patted the stool beside her, a grin on her face.
A few moments later, the huge stack of dishes was neatly put away, two foaming glasses of butterbeer were sitting on the spotless counter and a speechless Argus Filch was being plopped on a stool by a laughing young lady. He snuck a quick peek at her. She really was quite pretty, with golden curls and rosy freckled cheeks. He racked his brains. What could he say to such a beautiful girl? He was relieved when she spoke first.
–So, what’s your name? I’m Amelia Norris.†She looked at him expectantly.
–I-I’m Argus. Argus Filch,†he stammered. He couldn’t even have a normal conversation with a girl. This was not going well.
–Filch?†She looked at him closely. –Doesn’t a Samuel Filch work in the Department of Magical Transformation?â€
–That’d be my dad,†said Argus. –Wait, how do you know him?â€
Amelia leaned closer to him and whispered in his ear. –I’ll let you in on a little secret of mine. Your dad works in the Animagus section and, well, I’m an Animagus.â€
His eyes widened. Why did he always have the worst luck? The one time he had a decent conversation with a girl, and she had to be something spectacular. –Oh,†was all he could say.
This time it was Amelia’s turn to look surprised. –Oh? That’s all you can say!†She quieted down a bit when she saw Argus shrinking in his seat. –Sorry. It’s just most people are really tactless about it. They ask to see me transform, or if it hurts, or other idiotic nonsense. I suppose that you hear enough about it from your dad, though.†She took a quick gulp of butterbeer before continuing. –Your dad told me about you, you know. He said that you were sulky and need to get out more.â€
Argus snorted. Typical Dad. He was always concerned about his only son. –I’m doing quite fine without any help, thank you very much.â€
–You’re doing fine,†said Amelia. –But you’re not happy. You feel you’re inadequate and don’t deserve to live among wizards.â€
–H-how did you know,†stammered Argus. She was spot on.
–My younger sister was a Squib. She was my best friend,†Amelia said quietly.
–Was?†Argus asked. –You mean she’s-†He couldn’t bring himself to say the word.
–She was one of You-Know-Who’s first victims.â€
–I’m sorry. I didn’t realize.†He was mortified. How could he have been stupid? Now the poor girl was going to cry, and Argus was not at all comfortable with sobbing girls. To his surprise, she didn’t burst promptly into tears. Instead she gave him a sad little smile.
She patted his hand gently. –We’re not here to talk about my sister, though. We’re here to get you to have some fun. How about we go to Fortescue’s and get some ice cream?â€
**************
The ice cream was just the first of many outing Argus had. He and Amelia visited many of the Muggle tourist location such as the Tower of London, Big Ben, and the Palace. The Tower was particularly interesting, as there was a wizarding tour available. It turned out that wizards had also used it as a prison prior to Azkaban.
Everywhere they went, Argus became more and more open. Amelia soon found out he enjoyed historical books. Since it had always been one of Argus’ dreams to go to Hogwarts, she bought him the new and extended version of Hogwarts: A History for his twenty-fifth birthday.
For Amelia’s twenty-third birthday, they went on a picnic. As they were relaxing in the park, Argus asked Amelia something that had been burning in his mind ever since he had first met her.
–Amelia, I was wondering, do you think I could see you transform?†He was quite nervous about voicing his wishes as this was a bit of a sore spot for her. They never talked about it much, but he was still very curious about what her Animagus form would be. If only he was magical, then he would also become an Animagus.
–You know, I never transformed in front of anybody else. This would be a first for me.†Without waiting for him to say anything, she glanced around to make sure nobody was watching. Then, in a blink of an eye, Amelia was gone and a small yellow cat stood in her place. The cat minced over to Argus and wound herself around his legs. She began to purr. It seemed she was laughing at Argus’ shocked face.
Nervously, Argus picked up the fluffy creature. He really was never much of an animal person but he tried to remember that there was a human mind and heart underneath all of the fur. It wasn’t just any person either; it was Amelia. He sat down on a park began and began to pet her gently. He was surprised when the purring cat closed her eyes and laid down on his lap. He was even more astonished when she morphed and Argus found Amelia Norris sitting on his lap. He gave a small squeak and jumped up, unceremoniously dumping Amelia on the hard ground.
–What was that for?†said Amelia indignantly.
–I didn’t expect you to transform in my lap,†Argus scowled at her.
Amelia gave a coy smile and batted her eyelashes at him. ‘Didn’t you like me sitting on your lap? I thought boys enjoyed things like that.â€
Argus’ face was bright red as he tried to answer. –I - well - you know-†He sat back down on the bench and buried his face in his hands.
Amelia immediately sat back down on his lap and wrapped her arms around his neck. She chuckled at his startled face. His eyes widened and he began to flail his arms around frantically. ‘Shush, Argus. This isn’t so bad. Why, don’t you like me?†I like you, you know.†She did her best puppy dog face.
–Of course I like you,†retorted Argus.
‘Then why don’t you want me to sit on your lap?†She turned around so she could face him better.
–Because, it - it’s just not proper,†said Argus. This was a very uncomfortable conversation. He really did like Amelia. She was his best friend after all. But it seemed she wanted to be more than friends. How could he tell her that he was nervous about liking a girl? It seemed ridiculous, but it was true. No girl had ever been interested in him before. This was his first love.
–Not proper? Argus Filch, are you accusing me of being unladylike?†Amelia pretended to be shocked. –How could you think such a thing? After all, I always follow proper etiquette.â€
He snorted. Amelia was definitely not very ladylike. All the other girls were obsessed with manners, how to address somebody, and how to act in public. Amelia didn’t care one bit about these kinds of things. It wasn’t her nature to. Instead, she preferred to romp about in the yard and would talk to anybody, without any regard to who they were. She had once yelled at the Minister when he had knocked her over and left without apologising. Of course, the Minister had yelled right back, and her parents had been very angry with her. It still took guts, though, no matter what the consequences were. It was something Argus had always admired about her; how she didn’t care what other people thought about her, as long as what she was doing was right in her own eyes.
Amelia continued. –Was I embarrassing you? Nobody was watching, you know. We’re all alone. I could do whatever I wanted to you.†As if to prove her point, she bent down and kissed him gently. –See, nobody noticed.â€
Argus was too shocked for words. His hand rose to his mouth without him thinking. It was reflexive. Amelia must not have been in her right mind when she did that, but here she was, acting like her usual self, except for the fact that she was sitting on his lap. She looked very pleased with herself, as if she had accomplished something very important. –Amelia,†said Argus, trying not to show his anxiety, –That was even more improper than sitting on my lap.â€
–I know. That’s why I did it,†Amelia smiled like the Cheshire cat. –You can’t say you didn’t like that. Your face is bright red, and that means you enjoyed something but are embarrassed by it.â€
Argus sputtered. How dare she say that? It might be true, but it was not her place to say something like that. –I might have liked it, but what does it mean to you?â€
–It means a lot to me,†smiled Amelia. –It means you like me and since I like you, we can be a couple!â€
His eyes widened. That had never been his intentions. It sounded nice, but would it be enjoyable? He wasn’t a romantic or even very nice person to be with. To be with Amelia, to court her, would be very different that what he was used to. He didn’t know what to say. He was glad he didn’t have to.
Smiling shyly, Amelia turned towards him. –Argus, will you be my boyfriend?â€
It was a simple question, there were not any difficult words, but it was very, very hard to answer. Argus had not ever really thought about it, and when put on the spot, his mind was going in circles. It was increasingly difficult for him to form a coherent sentence. –I – well - could we - I guess so.†He had done it. He had said yes. Argus didn’t know how the words had come out when he couldn’t even answer himself in his own mind.
–Good,†said Amelia, a huge grin spreading across her face. –Now let’s celebrate.â€
–Celebrate?†asked Argus in a scared whisper. –How can we celebrate, and why?â€
–Oh, silly! You agreeing to be my boyfriend is a great reason to celebrate, don’t you think?†Amelia grabbed his arm and yanked him up. –Let’s go to the Leaky Cauldron. It’ll be our first official date.†In a moment, they were gone.
***************
Two Years Later
It seemed that everybody had been waiting for this day to come. The bride was twirling around, dressed in a magnificent white wedding dress with pearls around her neck. The nervous groom was yanking at his black dress robes, trying to get them to lie straight. He groaned and muttered at the offended articles of clothing.
–Why do weddings have to be such a bloody hassle?†whined Argus. –Can’t they make one that doesn’t involve a lot of work?â€
–If it was easy, it wouldn’t be as special,†said Amelia. She finished putting on her veil. –There. I’m ready to go. What about you?†She sighed when she saw that Argus hadn’t even combed his hair yet. –Hurry up and brush your hair. We’ll be late for the ceremony.â€
Argus watched her go. There was a strange look on his face. What had happened to the carefree girl he had met so many years ago? She had grown up a lot in three years. He-who-must-not-be-named was starting to gain power and the news sparked terror in the hearts of the wizarding community. It affected Amelia more than others. She knew personally what he was capable of. His proposal had brought her joy in the midst of all the fear and chaos. It was not uncommon for people to get married sooner than usual. That was what fear did to them. It made people wonder if they would live to see another day. The term –live each day like it were your last†was sometimes becoming literal, and people were doing reckless things to protect themselves and their families. Argus’ own father had set up a safe house to stay in if they were in danger. It had as many wards as possible and only approved people could enter. That was where Amelia and he would be living after their wedding.
The faint sound of the wedding march was coming up the stairs. He took a deep breath and walked to the door. This was it, the moment that would change his life. The doorknob turned and he went to the front of the room. The hired preacher gave him an encouraging nod and motioned slightly towards the back. Argus turned and stared.
There was a warm glow around Amelia as she walked slowly down the aisle. The little flower girl scattered lilac petals in front of her path and the two bridesmaids strode sedately behind her, carrying matching bouquets. All three paled in comparison to the beautiful bride coming towards him. Her golden hair hung in loose curls over her bare shoulders. He couldn’t see her face because of the veil, but he could tell she was smiling. Warmth filled his heart. This was why he had married her. She brought out the best in him, and made him forget all his problems. She was his light in a dark and dismal world.
She was beside him now, holding his hand. Argus had forgotten that they had to say their vows. He hoped he would remember the correct wording.
The preacher spoke the century old words. –Do you, Argus Filch, take Amelia Norris as your lawful and wedded wife? Do you promise to care for her in sickness and in health?â€
Argus did not listen any more. Amelia was his life now; he would do anything for her. When the preacher finished, he said two simple words. –I do.†It was enough. Those two words meant so much. They changed you, filled part of your soul. They completed you.
He faintly heard the preacher ask Amelia the same questions. He waited for her answer. When she spoke the magic words, he felt full and complete. He had never understood the term ‘true love’, but now he knew that this is what it must feel like.
–You may kiss the bride.â€
And he did.
***************
The years passed slowly and leisurely for the Filches. They bought a small cottage on the outskirts of Hogsmeade. Amelia got a job working at Honeydukes, while Argus would do gardening for the neighbours. He also did work for some Muggles in the Scottish villages. Since he was a Squib, there was not much he could do in the magical world, so he would do odds and ends around town, often fixing fences and doors. It wasn’t difficult work, but it kept him busy. When Amelia came back from her job, they would sometimes go to Diagon Alley or visit relative.
It was a relaxing life, not much to worry about. The threat of You-Know-Who did not scare them very much anymore, as their house was very well protected. Also, if Amelia wanted to go somewhere even remotely dangerous, she would go in her animal form. It really was handy if you didn’t want people to see where you were going. Then you could just transform when you got there. Argus found himself wishing more and more often that he was magical. He tried not to whine about it, but he still would often think about how things could have been different.
–I’m home!†shouted Amelia. She came in the front door with a large amount of grocery bags in her arms. Argus rushed to help her. They weren’t so young any more, but she insisted that she was fine.
–What’d you buy this time?†asked Argus, peering into the bags. –I see there’s plenty of chocolate and cookies. They’re for me of course, love.â€
She snatched them away from her and began to eat one. Chocolate chip cookies had always been her favourite and no one was going to take them from her. –I got you some Every Flavour Jelly Beans. Just hope you don’t get tripe!â€
Argus grinned. The house was always so much livelier with her around. She had made it homey with her various books and trinkets. There were sunflower curtains that matched the tablecloth and cushions. Even though it was winter, pots of flowers bloomed on the windowsills. Yes, it definitely was cosy.
Amelia plopped down on her favourite armchair. –I’m really tired today. The Hogwart’s students had their first Hogsmeade weekend today, and we almost ran out of sweets for them. I had to go to Diagon Alley to buy some more. Then a whole shelf of chocolate frogs fell over and they were hopping all over the place. The children trampled them. Oh, it was awful.â€
He chuckled. It sounded much more exciting than his day. –I just read a book and worked on the new window for Zonko’s. It wasn’t very fun.â€
–Doesn’t sound like it,†said Amelia. –So, what do you want to do this evening? I thought we could go to the Three Broomsticks. We might meet some friends.â€
–Sure, I’ll get ready to go.†Argus grabbed his cloak and pulled on his boots. –Are you going to walk, or go as a cat?†Amelia often found it more fun to transform and run along beside him. She said it was more daring.
–Of course I’ll be a cat!†she said. –I don’t need to get a cloak then. I have insulation.â€
Grinning, Argus headed out the door. He glanced back to make sure the small yellow cat was following. Then he started off.
Halfway to their destination, a man stepped out of the shadows and grabbed him by the arm. –Stop right here and listen to us or you’ll pay.†The voice was not any he recognized, but by the tone, he could tell that it was not a friendly chat.
–What do you want from me?†he asked.
–You’re a Squib, and only purebloods belong in this world.†The stranger said.
Now Argus was sure who this was. Only Death Eaters were obsessed about purebloods. Only they were willing to kill in cold blood to achieve their ultimate goal. He had never imagined that he would be their target, though. It was a terrifying thought. –W-what are you going to do to me?â€
–I think you know the answer to that question,†the hooded man sneered. He pointed his wand at Argus. –We’ll kill you.â€
He began to say the curse, but was stopped by a blood-curdling shriek. Amelia, still in her cat form, launched herself at him, clawing at his face. The Death Eater, who was trying to get the hissing cat off of him, momentarily forgot about his prey.
The sight hesitation gave Argus just enough time to duck down into a nearby alley. He prayed Amelia would be all right. He peeked out just in time to see the Death Eater aim a Stupefying curse at the attacking cat. He screamed and jumped at the man from behind. Taken by surprise, he attempted to get Argus off. However, Argus was furious at Amelia’s treatment and adrenaline was rushing through his veins. It was enough to keep him holding on until help came.
Lights flew on in the house in front of them. Someone had heard the commotion. In a puff of smoke, the Death Eater vanished, leaving behind a bruised and battered Argus lying on the ground. People clattered down the steps. Someone was leaning over him. Where was Amelia? Was she safe? All went black.
***************
–Will she be all right,†asked Argus. He continued pacing the floor in the lobby of the hospital. –Did that worm kill her?â€
The healer was slow to answer. A file bearing the name Amelia Filch sat in front of him. –She’ll have no lasting injuries,†he replied. Argus gave a whoop of joy, then noticed the man’s grave face.
–What’s wrong?â€
–She was in her Animagus form when he attacked, and at the moment, she does not have enough magical strength to transform back into a human,†the healer said quietly. –Whether that will change, we do not know.â€
–You mean she’ll have to stay as a cat forever?†cried Argus. –Can’t you do something? You’re supposed to heal people, for Merlin’s sake!â€
–Healers can’t solve everything,†the man said. –We’ve tried everything, but nothing works. I’m afraid she’ll have to stay in her cat body until all her magic returns. She can still think and process information though, so if you talk to her, she’ll understand.â€
–Can I see her?†asked Argus.
–Of course,†the healer said. He led Argus down the hallway to a small room. Inside, there was a white bed. Amelia was curled up on it. –Be quiet, she’s sleeping.†He went out and closed the door behind him.
Argus walked slowly over to the small bed. It was terrible to see Amelia so weak and dependant on others. She was never like this; so still and quiet. She was full of life and a joy to others. Now, seeing her lying on the hospital bed, it hurt him like nothing else could. What if she never regained her magic? She would always be a cat. It gave Argus a headache just to think about it. He had to rest.
**************
One year had passed since that fateful day. Amelia still had not been able to transform back into a human. Argus took good care of her. He fed her every time he had a meal, and she had her own little bedroom in the kitchen. The neighbours believed that the poor girl had been killed by the Death Eaters, as it was not public knowledge that Amelia was an Animagus. Her family, of course, would often visit and sit there petting the ragged yellow cat. It was a common occurrence to see Argus walking down the street, his faithful pet trotting after him.
It is said that people who lose a loved one often find solace in a cat. This was even truer for Argus, as his beloved Amelia could still hear him speaking to her. He would often sit for long hours and tell the purring cat about his day, and how he missed her. In return, she would curl up beside him and rub her furry head against his arm. They were an odd couple, the old man and his cat.
It was soon becoming clear that Argus was becoming too old to live in Hogsmeade by himself. He scoured the Daily Prophet in search of help wanted ads. There were none that offered housing also. Finally, he was reading paper one day with Amelia at his side. He had begun to call her Mrs. Norris so as to not raise the suspicions of the gossiping ladies at the Three Broomsticks. There were no ads that sounded remotely interesting, so he began to put the paper away. Mrs. Norris wouldn’t let him, though. She placed her paw on the page, and pointed at a job ad. It said that Hogwarts School was looking for a caretaker. It required minimal magic work, so it was a good job for a Squib. Argus read it excitedly. Of course, he had always wanted to go the famous magical school. Here was his chance. He would go to the headmaster the next morning. Surely, he would get the job.
***************
His life with Amelia had been wonderful, but his job at Hogwarts had been a blessing. Not only did it provide him with a stable income, but it also was a nice place for Mrs. Norris to run around in. With her good nose and exceptional hearing, misbehaving students were caught much more easily. It was a good system and none of the students suspected that she was anything more than Filch’s pet. Yet she was an irreplaceable part of his life, and would stay with him at all times.
Tonight’s ball had been one of the first parties he had attended in years. Normally, he wouldn’t have gone, except that it was Amelia’s birthday. He knew that she would have wanted to go and stay all night, but he was tired. All the dancing had only served as a reminder of his old age. His body couldn’t stand so much exercise, and neither could a sixty year old cat.
Yes, his beloved Amelia had turned sixty years old that evening. Twenty years of her life had been spent in the minuscule body of a cat. She didn’t seem to mind. Then again, she wouldn’t be able to tell him if she did. Communication between the two of them was rather one sided, and of course, a fully fledged conversation was impossible. Though she thought and often acted like a human, her body was still a cat, and cats could not speak. It was not possible for them. It defied even the simplest laws of magic. If it had been possible, Argus would have done it long ago.
Even though his life seemed quite good, he still was unhappy. . Yes, he had his wife alive, and she seemed to be happy, but it was not the same. One couldn’t have a decent conversation with a cat. He did have a paying job, a place to live, and plenty of leisure time, but whenever he saw his cat walking slowly along, he was reminded of better times. It still upset him that he had to work so much harder than other people, just because he was a Squib. Might as well have been a Muggle. Fate was not fair. She had dealt him a bad hand. Mrs. Norris helped in his searches of the castle, and often found students that he would never have noticed. It was amusing to see the little children running from the piercing eyes of his –cat.†If only they knew the true story behind her, and what she had been like before that terrible tragedy so many years ago.
The Truth Behind the Fur by dmbw7052
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