July 30 11:57pm - July 31
This was when it all started.
He was simply lying in his bed waiting for the first minutes of being sixteen. His mind had drifted to the remaining summer days, Ron and Hermione and of course Sirius. He was deep in the progressively dark thoughts revolving around Sirius' death (the only good thing there was that Voldemort was dead too. Lot of good that did, Death Eaters were still running around doing his bidding. They were the reason he was still stuck with the Dursleys) when he first felt the itch. It was nothing just a little discomfort just beneath his skin on his chest. He scratched at it a little and it eased for a moment before returning full force. This time scratching only made it worse. He tried to not scratch but he couldn't, the itching was unbearable.
Soon the itch became pain and that pain reached such heights so suddenly that it wretched an unnatural scream from him and for a fleeting moment he was thankful that the Dursleys had taken the weekend stay at that five star hotel that Dudley had won. Even sooner the pain became so much that he could no longer scream. A minute later he passed out.
XXXXX
He woke the next morning feeling well rested but with a dull ache throughout his body. He ran a sort of systems check on himself. All his fingers and toes moved freely, his arms and legs felt fine and his chest was only feeling a little tight but otherwise okay. Everything seemed to be in working order. There was a light rub on his thigh but he ignored that, it was probably just his imagination.
Finally finished checking for current injuries, there were none. He opened his eyes to a view of the ceiling in perfect 20/20 vision.
... 20/20 vision? Staring at the ceiling he could see the different patterns on it from weather marks. Patterns he had never been before. Screw 20/20! He had 200% vision! He could see the fine surface imperfections of the ceiling with clarity.
He sat up taking a glance down at himself when he felt another rub. He was dressed in the same oversized pyjamas except that while they were still too wide for him they were now short for him. He could see more of his legs and a little of his abdomen but there was after all a long black thing that was lying in his bed with him. A long black furry thing that was shifting against his leg. He slapped it away quickly only to feel a jolt of almost crippling pain run through him. It didn't come from his hand like he thought it should but from his lower back and as he dug his fingers into the bed he realised that his finger nails had grown longer and sharper in however long it had been since he passed out.
"What...?" he muttered before getting out of bed and going to the bathroom. He stared into the mirror for a moment just looking at himself. He was definitely taller and he had little animal ears. He didn't notice them as first because they were black like his hair but they were definitely there, poking out of his messy mass of hair when he felt them. Little rounded panther ears. He noticed his hands again too. They looked a little bigger than they used to be and his nails definitely weren't the same cut ones he usually had. He looked back into the mirror and looked closer. His eyes seemed brighter and he had little pointed fangs. He turned in the mirror and sure enough the black thing from earlier was still there, attached to him. He had a tail too!
He stared more as the horror that came with the realisation set in. He had been turned into a half-cat-person-thing. He sunk to the cool tile and curled into the coolness of it. He hadn't even thought that was possible.
This wasn't normal. Things like this didn't happen to people. Then again, this was interesting if he thought about it hard enough (and he was thinking very hard). A lot of people don't turn into cat-people but was it a spell or was it something else? There had to be away to find out. He thought as he inspected his fingers then gently pulled his tail around to pet it. It was surprisingly soft and it felt good to play with. Very good, addictive good (or bad).
'In the mean time I have to find a way to hide this change.' he thought looking at his beautiful black tail when suddenly there was a tingling sensation as his tail disappeared and his nails returned to normal. He stood quickly to look into the mirror again. He looked normal again. Well his eyes were still a little bright but it he looked normal. He thought about changing back and he did.
He tried changing and changing back a few times to get used to it before settling on his most human appearance. It was easier than you'd think it was. Then something occurred to him from the back of his mind: his clothes made him hideous. He needed clothes that would actually fit him, good clothes that looked good, were fashionable, were expensive and actually fit him. He paused. Where had that thought come from? He had never cared what he wore before, why would it make a difference now? Was it something to do with the change? Whatever it was, was right though. Dudley's clothes couldn't fit him now. He couldn't wear them anywhere. He needed his own clothes now and the Dursleys weren't going to be the ones to give them to him.
He then remembered he had his own money at Gringotts. He could go there and get some money then go shopping. The Dursleys weren't here and wouldn't be back until the next day. Since they weren't here he could just go now. Maybe even spend the day out. Enjoy himself outside without the Dursleys knowing about for the entire day, sounded like a good idea to him.
Before he could change his mind he rushed into his room and looked through what little clothes he had before thinking Dudley's current clothes would fit him better than anything he had in his room. He was about as tall as Dudley currently was so Dudley's current clothes would only be a little roomy but not short. He hurried to Dudley's room and tested the door. Locked. Figures, the one time he would care if it was open it was locked.
"Open, open, open!" he grumbled irritated as he rattled the door knob. He really needed to get in. The lock suddenly clicked open and he almost fell through as the door opened. He looked around to check if anyone was there before looking down at the knob still in his hands. He'd just magically opened the door without his wand and without the proper incantation. Accidental magic? That was one more thing he had to find out if it was related to his change. He could worry about that later. He dug through Dudley's drawers and closet until he found clothes that would look relatively descent on him. There weren't must considering the size difference and Dudley lacked decent clothes anyway.
"It will have to do." he muttered pulling them on and he felt something in him sniff in disdain at the clothes. He paused. That was definitely not him. Not at all. "What the hell was that?"
Feeling nothing in response he finished changing grabbed his wand and left the house. He looked up and down the street before calling the Knight Bus. It was too early to for anyone to be up. He hadn't realised before but the sun was just coming up. He quickly paid and boarded the Knight Bus and took it to the Leaky Cauldron. He passed through quickly to avoid being seen.
He entered Diagon Alley to practically deserted streets. He hurried along street to Gringotts and only then did he think that maybe it wasn't open yet. Luckily it was and he entered quickly. He found a teller just as quickly.
"Good morning." he greeted the goblin politely and with a smile. Where that confidence came from, he didn't know. A lot of things were weird this morning. "I'd like to withdraw from my account please."
"I am Granook. Your name and key." the goblin answered not looking up from the form he was filling.
"Harry Potter and I don't have my key." the goblin looked up at him at that statement and frowned. He looked him up and down for a moment.
"Have you come into an inheritance recently Mr. Potter?" he asked and Harry's brow dipped.
"A what?"
"A creature inheritance." Granook answered and at Harry's clueless look sighed and began to explain. "It's when you reach sixteen and any creature blood that might be in your family comes out in you and you become that creature."
"Oh." Harry said thoughtfully. That explained one thing and brought up a lot of other things. "Yea. That happened last night."
"Are you aware of what creature you have become?" Granook asked now turning his full attention to him. It was always interesting to watch clueless wizards fumble.
"No." he answered and Granook watched him thoughtfully as if trying to figure him out. "That's actually one of the reasons that I came here. I need money for clothes. Nothing fits anymore."
"Have you lost your key Mr. Potter?" Granook asked reshuffling his papers.
"I guess. I never really had it in the first place." he answered and now Granook really frowned at him.
"You should have a key." Granook asserted.
"I have a key I just never received it. Dumbledore has it I think." Harry said and he had the fleeting thought that we wasn't sure at all.
"He should not have it. You should." the goblin persisted. Harry shrugged. "Would you like to apply for a new key? Applying would allow us to verify that you are who you say you are and would be able to tell what your creature inheritance is."
"What would happen to the other key?" Harry asked. It sounded like a good idea so far.
"It would self-destruct." Granook answered with a smirk and Harry felt a smirk curl his own lips. That something from earlier in the back of his mind was certainly pleased and he could feel a sense possessiveness coming from it. The vault was his, he should have the key, no one else. It disturbed him slightly but he found himself agreeing. He should have the only key. Plus knowing what this creature thing was would always be a plus.
"Ok. I'd like to apply." he answered and Granook turned a piece of parchment to him.
"Fill this application out quickly." The goblin told him. "State that you have lost the key and would like to replace it."
Harry filled it out quickly, looked it over to make sure he hadn't missed anything and returned it. The goblin read it through, nodded and hopped down from his stool even as he motioned for a lower rank goblin to take his place.
"Follow me." he said and led the teen into a hallway he hadn't seen before and to a clean white room with two other goblins. Granook handed the one closest to him the application form. That goblin nodded and motioned for Harry to take a seat in the chair in the middle of the room. "They will need a blood sample."
Harry held out an arm and watched as they pulled a vial of his blood from it. He watched as they cast an enchantment on it in Gobbledegook and words came up in the same language to hover above the blood.
"Congratulations Mr. Potter, you are who you say you are." Granook stated as the two goblins went to work on creating a new key and destroying the current one. "And congratulations on your creature inheritance. You are a Neko."
"Neko?" Harry asked and if Granook hadn't already seen that look he wouldn't have known that he didn't know what it meant. He almost rolled his eyes.
"It is not something that I would be able to explain properly however there should be informative books and journals present in the Potter or Black vaults." Granook supplied and at Harry's raised brow he stated. "We have much business to discuss now."
He accepted the newly crafted key from one of the other Goblins before handing it to Harry. The other goblin gave them another key. Harry looked at the new key with confusion.
"Mr. Potter you are now the heir of both the Potter family and the Black family and as such will have a key for each vault. Follow me." Granook stated and turned to leave the room.
"The Black Family? How?" Harry asked following him out of the room.
"Sirius Black named you as his heir." Granook answered simply. "I am taking you to the goblin in charge of the Black and Potter vaults."
"Why can't you do it?" Harry asked. He had already begun this with one goblin he didn't want to do it with another.
"Because he was assigned to it however if you wish to change accountants then you can."
"Let's do that then." Harry said
"Are you sure?" Granook asked genuinely curious but hiding it well.
"Yes. You're more help to me than most people." Harry answered.
XX
Harry left the wizard bank feeling both relieved and irritated. He was relieved that he finally had everything he had in the bank in order or soon to be in order and was finally leaving the bank after hours of business with books that probably would be able to help him with his Neko inheritance. He wasn't even sure what that was. He was irritated because it had taken so long, he'd found out that Dumbledore had been using his account occasionally over the years, that there was no way that there were blood wards on the Dursley's house (not only would wards have to actually be made by his parents but they had to actually like him for them to work), without blood wards of course that meant Dumbledore lied to him and if he lied then he purposefully endangered him because he had told the man he didn't want to go back. He had obviously known about the abuse. To say that the 'thing' at the back of his mind was furious was an understatement. He had almost lost control of himself and earned himself a migraine for the trouble. The migraine had been remedied by a headache potion Granook offered him. His anger had simmered down to irritation from there. He had things to do. The first thing on his list was what he had originally come out for in the first place: clothes.
He smiled slightly as he lifted a hand to the two new silver small chain-link necklaces around his neck. One held the Potter head of house/lordship ring and the other held the same for the Black house. They were his now and they were both beautiful and shiny (very shiny) and were perfect representations of his new found wealth. He couldn't wait until he was seventeen and could wear them properly.
The second thing that was to be done was to move out. With so many properties under both house names he had a lot of choices. He had chosen one Potter home that was still on the Island but was in Wales. It would be interesting for sure.
He spent the next few hours shopping in wizarding shops for excellent robes and new school uniforms, in muggle shops for attractive, fitted and fashionable clothing. He had also spent some time in the wizarding bookstore buying a few new books that might have something about Nekos in them or might help him in the coming school year. It had struck him when he was paying for everything that he was being oddly studious. He chalked it up to being a Neko but that just added another reason to read up on them. This level of studiousness was not something he was used to.
Everything he had bought was pushed into the new bottomless bag that he had bought and slung over his shoulder. He then took a muggle taxi back to number 4 privet drive. He had progressively gotten pleased with himself at his own independence. He entered the house happily and pranced up the stairs to his room. He smiled widely when he spotted Hedwig.
"Hey. You're back!" he petting her lightly. He gave her head a quick kiss before turning to collect his things. "Be happy girl! We're leaving this place!"
Hedwig hooted in what he interpreted as excitement but was also questioning.
"You missed a few things but no worries. The most important thing right now is I'll be getting the papers documenting my emancipation from the Dursleys tomorrow and I have some where to live planned already because of some inheritance stuff that I'll explain later." Harry told her as he packed the little he had owned before today (except the clothes) into the bottomless bag before moving to get her cage. She flew over and perched on his shoulder giving him a funny look. "Ok. So we just have to activate the portkey Granook, the goblin, gave me then we will be at our new home."
He ensured he had everything before making sure Hedwig was in her cage and in his arms before sticking his hand into his pocket to wrap around the stone there before saying the activation word/key. With a pull at the navel they were gone.
XX
"It's beautiful." was the first thought Harry had after almost puking his guts out from the portkey ride. Apparently being a Neko didn't change that he hated portkeys. He had vaguely realised he hadn't eaten all day before he saw the house and forgot everything else. It was the most beautiful house he had ever seen and it was in the best shape ever. It was obvious that it was well taken care of and Harry remembered Granook saying something about house elves but he had still had the migraine at that time. He walked right up to the door and laid a hand on its frame. The door immediately clicked open. Harry smiled and pushed it open.
"Hello?" he called stepping in and pulling Hedwig's cage with him. There was a soft pop and a small elf appeared. He or she was obviously young. The youngest he had ever seen.
"Who are you?" the elf asked watching them through narrowed eyes. The suspicion there was very visible. Harry couldn't blame him. He'd be more than suspicious of someone who just stepped right into his house
"Harry Potter." Harry answered and the house elf smiled at him in obvious joy. "And you are?"
"Cappy sir!" the house elf answered and soon he was being introduced to three others. Letty, Pots and Fobs.
"Would Master Potter, like a tour?" Fobs asked. He was the only one that spoke correct English but it was obvious he was working on Cappy's language skills. He was also the only one wearing a hat. They looked almost uniform.
"Sure. You can just call me Harry." he told them shifting Hedwig's cage in his arms. "This is Hedwig."
"Of course Master Harry." Fobs answered and began leading him out.
"Is there an Owlery?" Harry asked them.
"Yes sir!" Cappy answered and Harry handed him Hedwig's cage to him. It was as large as he was.
"Why don't you carry her there?" Harry asked him with a smile and Cappy's eyes widened dramatically.
"Yes sir! I won't let you down." Cappy called and scampered off. Harry watched him go before turning back to Fobs.
"Let's continue." Harry said and followed the house elf along. The inside of the house was just as beautiful as the outside and it was artfully designed and spotlessly clean. He was shown everything from the kitchen to the gardens to the library's extensive collection of books to the many bathrooms and bedrooms until they stood before the doors to the master bedroom. This would be his room; he was the master of the house now. A house with only him in it so far but the house elves could be his family now. He already liked Cappy, Letty was shy, Pots was quiet and Fobs was thorough and obviously the one in charge of the other three. He would have more family soon enough. Until then they were more than enough and he already had plans that needed to be taken care of, like school and later a job. It would be a while.
"Would you help me unpack?" Harry asked as he looked around at the wide room fitted with a huge king sized bed a personal book shelf, a desk, large chest of drawers, all on a comfortably carpeted floor. The bathroom was impressive and the view from the balcony was of the beautiful gardens below. He could see the sea in the distance.
"Of course Master Harry." Fobs answered just as Cappy skipped in joyfully.
"Master's owl is fed and sleeping." The young house elf announced. Fobs gave him a look that had him freeze and stop fidgeting.
"That's great. Help me unpack with Fobs." Harry said and put the bag between them. He watched as Cappy watched Fobs begin first before following his lead. They pulled everything out of the bag and onto the bed before beginning to put them where they belonged. Clothes were sorted by wizarding and muggle then by colour. Underwear and undershirts into drawers. Books by subject then title. Everything else was put away appropriately. It was interesting to watch them work.
"Thank you. Good work." he told them happily when they were finished and they both beamed. "Now, who's hungry? Do we have food?"
"Yes. Pots should be preparing dinner with Letty now." Fobs answered. They made their way to the kitchen again. The kitchen itself was a large room that with many counters and cupboards and a small dining table surrounded by chairs. "We are always stocked."
"That's good then." Harry stated. He stared when he entered the kitchen and saw the two elves bustling around preparing a meal. It was always impressive to watch house elves work. He took a seat at the table in the kitchen and suddenly he remembered something else and turned to the two that had just entered with him.
"Fobs." he said and the elf looked up at him. He motioned at the chairs on either side of him. Fobs climbed up into the seat on his right and gave him a wide eyed questioning look. Cappy climbed up on the other side and watched them. "You've been here for a long time, haven't you?"
"Yes Master Harry many generations. Is that a bad thing?" Fobs asked cautiously. He wasn't old but he wasn't young either.
"No that's good. I need to ask you about something." he told Fobs and Fobs tilted his head in interest. "What do you know about Nekos?"
Several things happened right then. Pots dropped the dish of pasta, Letty saved it with a curious look and Fobs nearly wiggled off his seat. The next second Pots was back to work and Fobs had righted himself again.
"Are you a Neko Master Harry?" Fobs asked with a curious expression.
"Yes. I heard it was an inheritance so I thought I might have got it from someone in the family."
"Oh yes Master Harry!" Fobs said excitedly. He was practically bouncing in his seat now. "Several generations. The last was your great-great-grandfather. At that time Pots was just a few years older than Cappy is, still a baby elf. He was a Tiger Neko. The family has a tendency for the big cats."
"Papa I'm confused." Cappy suddenly voiced and Harry suddenly realised that he had never really thought about where house elves came from. That was a thought for latter.
"Ask Fobs." Pots answered and Harry was surprised. He would have thought that Fobs was their father.
"Ok. Before we get further let's start from the beginning." Harry stated and Fobs nodded along. He paused to collect his thoughts.
"The Neko came to exist several centuries ago through the descendants of the cat goddess. She gave a blessing unto a man for a deed he did for her. No one is quite sure now what the deed was, only its reward." he began and both Harry and Cappy were entranced with him. Letty and Pots listened as they worked and began to set the table. "This blessing have him the features of the cat along with his normal human features. He was also blessed with speed and strength and power. His children that his wife bore, were bore with these same traits. He had many children with his wife and they married and had more children's and so the Neko was passed down. However sometime later they began to die out because of the persecution of the heathens and the gene began to wane. Until it can to past that there were not many Neko left in the world and less were being born. The Potter line at one point was filled to the bursting with Neko until this happened and from there we waned until the last Neko of the line a few generations ago. It was believed that there would no longer be Neko in this line. Now among it sits the latest Potter Neko."
"Wow." Harry commented. Cappy sat beside him wide eyed. The history behind it was rather straightforward.
"It is better to stick to the points and not stray from them." Fobs stated wisely before looking at him with wide eyes. "I have helped many of your forefathers with being a Neko. May I assist you as well?"
"Of course." Harry answered with a smile and patted him on the back.
"Me too!" Cappy added excitedly. Harry rubbed his head affectionately and nodded.
"You said you helped them right." Harry stated turning to Fobs again. "Then what about this weird thing in my head?"
"Oh Master Alistir would complain about that especially often. He called it his 'Inner Neko'." Fobs answered before explaining. "He said it was the part of him that was connected to his feline counterpart. It channels the feelings and sometimes thoughts that your feline counterpart would feel in any particular situation. It is the feral part of the brain."
"Oh that would make sense. I've felt it a few times." Harry confessed.
"The change can be sublime as well. For example Master Alistir could not care less about what he looked like and after the change he would spend a long time preparing himself daily. Cats are vain creatures." Fobs stated the last sentence knowingly.
"I hope I don't spend that long." Harry complained. He then remembered something else. "You mentioned my great-great grandfather being a type of Neko. What are the types and how do you know the difference?"
"They are several types of Neko. The types are based on the different species of cats. Each type has a name. You can usually tell by the tail and ears that the Neko has. If not then you would have to wait until you master your full form and can transform into your animal. Your great-great grandfather was a Tiger Neko so he had traits of the tiger."
"Would you be able to tell which I was?" Harry asked
"Pots is better at it. He developed a liking of wild animals after growing up with Nekos." Fobs answered and Harry looked up to see Pots' red ears from behind him.
"Pots, would you be able to?" Harry asked excitedly. Cappy was equally excited and wiggling in his seat.
"Yes Master Harry." Pots answered turning around to place the final dish onto the table.
"Ok. How about we do this now then?" Harry stated then concentrated on letting his new features show. He sniffed slightly when his senses heightened even more and he smelled more of the food. He really was hungry. Cappy and Letty stared openly while Fobs gave an appraising look. Pots eyed him critically for a moment.
"Panthera." he finally answered. "Pots not sure if Panthera onca or pards?
"The black panther." Fobs clarified quickly. "Very rare. He's not sure if the leopard type or the Jaguar type. You will know that when you master your full form."
"I guess I don't have to read now." Harry said with a smile at the four.
"Of course you do." Fobs scoffed. "Knowledge is key and you are still in school."
"Learning makes good master." Letty commented. "Master must eat much too. Food make brain better."
"Yes. Yes. Let's start eating now." Harry said and began sharing food. Noticing that they were not eating he told them to. They were after all his new family now even if his inner Neko whispered 'for now.'