The Wizarding war was coming to a head, the climax seemed to be around the corner. Narcissa Elaine Malfoy (nee' Black) was more of a worried mother at the moment though. She had spent nearly twenty years of her life bound to a man who treated her as a trophy. She had bore his heir and that was all he had wanted.
At heart Narcissa was a woman, who had bore her child and loved him unconditionally. She was known as the 'Ice Queen' but really, who could blame her? Cissa had wanted more children and had been denied. She had not been bedded since she had found out she was pregnant. That was more depressing than her husband who kissed the boots of a man who claimed purity was key to their world when his father had indeed been a muggle. Narcissa did know that much, she had been her generations 'Hermione' so to speak. She had been turned into a housewife and trophy. That is what made her so cold. Now her husband had come home with a grin on his face saying that her only child was being inducted to the 'inner circle' and she was to sit by him and attend the ceremony.
Narcissa had calmly and wordlessly sent a severe stinging hex at her husband before storming gracefully from the room and slamming the door shut. Lucius felt the pain and wondered why she was so upset. His wife had never taken the mark, and the dark lord had never made her do it, feeling that she was worthy enough to not have it. Some thought that meant that she couldn't be trusted. Lucius rubbed the pain of the hex away and shrugged. He just didn't understand women.
Narcissa had fled the house, exited the wards and immediately apparated to a place where she was welcome and wanted. She waited at the gates, thankful that she was not traced with a dark mark. The gates to the ancient castle opened and allowed her entrance. She was glad that it was summer there were no students and only Minerva McGonagall remained for some reason. Narcissa allowed herself a smile as the older witch came into view, walking across the grounds towards her with a smile on her face.
"Narcissa, how have you been I haven't seen you in a while?" Minerva asked gently hugging the woman and kissing both cheeks.
"I will honestly say that I could be better, Minerva. I have some depressing news and a favour to ask of you." Cissa replied taking the hands of the professor and letting her masks fall for the first time. Minerva saw the change in her younger apprentice and frowned. Narcissa wasn't a woman who cried a lot. She deduced that this had to have something to do with her son, Draco.
"Of course sweetheart, Let us go to my rooms and have some tea, or something a bit stronger." Narcissa nodded and wiped the lone tear away as she followed her mentor indoors. "Oh and before I forget, my newest apprentice is around the grounds somewhere. She is working on her animagus training so we may or may not see her." Cissa nodded and smiled.
"Let me take a guess as to whom it is, Hermione Granger?" Minerva blushed and nodded.
"She reminds me so much of you and I hope that I can help you with whatever it is you need help with, I haven't seen you this emotional since you were pregnant." Minerva smiled as Narcissa blushed and turned her head away shyly.
"I can be myself around you and not have to worry. But Minerva, it's horrible, Lucius and Voldemort made Draco take the mark, his task will be to kill someone, more than likely Albus because Lucius had 'shamed' his lord." Narcissa cried. Minerva led the woman through the halls of her home and stopped at a picture of Godric Gryffindor. The portrait looked at the two women and smiled.
"The password please, Tabby." Godric said. Minerva huffed and glared at the portrait.
"Father's Kitten, now can we go in?" Minerva hissed.
"Yes sweetheart, you and Cissa may, Hermione is in there too." Godric addressed the witches before swinging open. Narcissa looked around the familiar quarters and noticed that there were books on nearly every surface and that in the middle of the floor with books around her, sat Hermione Granger. Narcissa was in awe of the young witch, she was 'in the zone' as it were. Clearly meditating and trying to find her inner animal. Minerva smiled and patted Narcissa's arm, motioning her to follow quietly. They picked their way across the room and entered the kitchen.
Minerva filled the kettle and put it on the stove to heat before sitting down and resting her forearms on the table looking expectantly at her apprentice. "What are you thinking?" Minerva finally said as the kettle whistled. She stood and quickly removed it, hoping that it had not disturbed Hermione.
Narcissa smiled and shook her head. "Exactly how she uses the same method of meditation I used when I started, which by the way I never finished because of Lucius." Narcissa stood and moved quietly to the door and looked at the girl fondly. Hermione was still in position for meditation, only now she was floating a good two feet off of the floor and Narcissa's brown eyes (I like the movie version of Narcissa better) widened in realization. "Minerva, she's done it!" she whispered excitedly. Her mentor came over and smiled with gusto before hugging Narcissa tightly.
"Oh, I didn't know you had company Minerva." A shy voice said. Narcissa was still grinning broadly when she and Minerva parted and turned to look at the young woman. Hermione gasped. "You're Malfoy's mum!" she exclaimed. Narcissa nodded and found herself a little nervous in the presence of this young with that was supposed to be beneath her according to her husband.
"Yes I am, Congratulations on finding your form, I found mine a long time ago and never had the chance to finish. I also would bet that you are wondering what exactly I am doing here?" Cissa smiled at the young witches caution around her. "Merlin sweetie, I'm not going to hurt you. Come and have some tea, tell us older witches all about your form." Narcissa smiled and held her hand out to Hermione. The young witch took it and followed the women back into the kitchen where three cups were already waiting. Minerva had left the two whilst they were talking and got it all ready. Hermione found herself pulled into a hug by both women and smiled.
"So what are you going to be?" Minerva said excitedly. Hermione smiled and decided to play a game.
"I'll let you guess, I can't just outright tell you. But it's a big animal, not domesticated." Hermione said poking the older witch in the side and giggling. Narcissa smiled and watched the two interact.
"Are you a reptile?" Minerva asked. Hermione shook her head. Minerva looked thoughtful.
"Are you a bird of sorts?" again Hermione shook her head with a smile. Narcissa was contemplating the young woman's characteristics as Minerva was staring at her as well. Suddenly it all made sense to Narcissa.
"You're a big cat aren't you?" Narcissa said. Hermione nodded and Minerva squealed she liked felines. "So which one is it? My form was going to be a big cat as well." Narcissa said excitedly.
"I am a White Bangle Tiger, what's yours?" Hermione said. Minerva was probably the happiest witch in Britain at the moment. Narcissa smiled and squealed before answering.
"Black Panther, however I have never transformed." She stated looking a little crestfallen at the end. Hermione smiled and looked at Minerva pleadingly.
"She must work with me, she got so far, please Min, please can she be my partner?" Hermione said with a little pout on her face, Narcissa looked hopeful. Minerva looked at Cissa.
"Would want to stay here and finish what you started Cissa?" Minerva asked, knowing that Narcissa would have to leave almost everything behind which meant that the order would have to make a fake raid and pretend to have captured her. Narcissa nodded.
"I have lived to long being oppressed and used as a trophy and a house wife; I can stand it no longer. I never supported Voldemort and I won't start, but I do ask that we try to find a way to save my son." Cissa said. Hermione hugged Narcissa and smiled at Minerva. Minerva's face brightened and she held out a hand.
"Welcome to the Order of the Phoenix, Narcissa, now you just have to become a prisoner." Minerva smirked before pulling Cissa into a hug. Hermione squealed and before she could stop herself she had hugged both women close to her. They broke apart still laughing and Minerva had a twinkle in her eyes. She knew these two were special, big cats were rare as an animagus, any feline really tended to be rare as a lot of felines were deemed magical.
Minerva wasn't the only register animagus in Britain for nothing. If Minerva were anyone else she would have told both the younger women before her to take a flying leap, it was hard work, to even find you animal form. Minerva was also the only person to ever have two forms. She thought that she may just get to be the first person to ever have two successful apprentices in history. She thought for a moment before smiling to herself. Her girls would pick it up.
The days that had passed were long and tiring for three women. Hermione and Narcissa had taken to sharing Minerva's guest room and were getting along splendidly. The morning after Narcissa had arrived at the castle the Prophet had announced that she was missing. Hermione had had a good laugh at that. Narcissa enjoyed being back on the grounds reliving the best parts of her childhood. Most days Minerva would spend instructing the girls to change hands and feet into paws and such. They both succeeded at an alarming rate. Minerva felt that it was time to let the women try a full transformation after two weeks.
"Concentrate Hermione, don't force it, just feel it, focus on it." Minerva said softly. Narcissa was waiting her turn, smiling as she watched her young friend slowly turn into a tigress. Hermione felt wonderful, as if she had found a part of herself that she had been missing. She looked around herself and liked the enhanced senses. Narcissa approached her and smiled before carefully leaning a hand out. Hermione inwardly smiled, she had control of her animal self and she nodded her big head and nudged Cissa's hand. Minerva laughed at the sight. "Congratulations Hermione, now you can stay a tiger and wait for Cissa and myself to join you or you can change back." Minerva said. Hermione the tiger looked at Minerva and yawned before stalking over to the love seat and hopping up on it and lying down. Obviously she was waiting for the two other witches.
"I think that she is waiting, I suppose that I should work on not keeping her waiting." Cissa laughed before concentrating. Minerva watched as Narcissa became a panthress and as she stalked over to sit beside Hermione. The two big cats looked at Minerva.
"Alright but don't claw at me when you see my unknown form. I am sorry that I had to keep from you both this long." Minerva fidgeted before transforming. The two new animagus' watched as their mentor turned not into a tabby cat, but a beautiful lioness.
Two sets of eyes widened in shock. 'Oh my goddess! She's a lion'Hermione thought.
'I know, I thought that she was just referring to her small feline stature looking different.' Narcissa thought back, the two animagus not consciously realizing that they could still communicate. Minerva the lioness huffed and padded over to her students and sat back on her haunches.
'Yes, actually this was my first form, I had to adapt when I became a teacher, and thus never registered this form. Most dangerous predators that become animagus forms exile us with the werewolves and vampires. I became a tabby cat so that I could continue to teach. The both of you already have been registered as domesticated cats, which you will learn to become.' Minerva stated a smile in her voice.