Chapter One
A mangy ginger cat slept in a cage, her tail waving back and forth in dreams, her claws kneading against the bottom of the cage. She slept lightly, prepared for a human hand to descend and try yet again to do something to her, which she had no desire for them to do. While she slept she dreamed, of her infant son who was no longer an infant and her husband who was no longer alive. Why Voldemort had saved her of all people was beyond her, but he had transfigured her into a cat and levitated her onto the street. There had been no explanation any words from the man who had just killed her James, her husband and the man she loved. Instead Lilly had found herself out on the street, she had gone house to house meowing at the top of her lungs, until finally an elderly witch had let her in and given her table scraps. She had no desire to be petted or be examined by the witch, or by anyone else when she left that house and was taken to another. She tried repeatedly to escape, to get back to her son, but each time she had been caught. She knew her son had somehow survived but she had no idea of how he had done it, she didn't know where her son was now for that matter. She couldn't help but picture the baby he had been, rather than the boy he had become, or possibly the young man he was now. Time had a way of slipping by, days melting together until Lilly had no idea of how much time had passed.
A bell on the door to the shop chimed and Lilly woke suddenly, glaring at the people who had disturbed her rest. She stared at the young teenager, who looked just like James and the rat in the cage who was obviously Pettigrew. She hissed and a young girl approached.
"Common garden rats like these don't live long I'm afraid, how long have you had him?"
"My older brother had him before me, so I'm not really sure." A red-haired boy said and looked sadly at the cage. Clearly he was the rat's owner and for some unknown reason was actually fond of the beast. Then again Pettigrew always had a way of ingratiating himself with others.
"My parents said I could get a pet for my birthday." The bushy haired girl said and stared at Lilly's cage. "Why is that cat in a cage?"
"Because he's a vicious beast, I'll give you him at a discount, if you take him off my hands." The store owner said and Lilly felt herself lifted by the girl.
All too soon the three parted and Lilly was given the run of a muggle house, not unlike the one she had grown up in. She was going to go to Hogwarts and she would see Harry again, there was no reason to escape and try to find him. She even allowed the child to pet her, the girl was much like Lilly herself had been at that age, fascinated by magic, intelligent and determined to do just as well as her Pureblood classmates. She was also very kind and Lilly couldn't help but think that her son had chosen wisely when he had become friends with the girl.
Finally Lilly was taken on the train, she tried repeatedly to get to the rat, but as she was in a carrier, each attempt was foiled. She gave up for now, knowing that she would soon be released from her carrier and Pettigrew couldn't hide in his cage forever surely. Eventually he would have to come out and then she would have a lovely snack, or perhaps she'd play with her supper a bit, before finishing him off. She purred at the thought of it.
"I don't like how your cat is looking at Scabbers."
"Crookshanks is a good boy and he isn't interested in your rat Ron." Hermione said and Lilly let out a piteous meow, scrabbling at the door to the cage. "I know you don't like it, but we will be at Hogwarts soon. You can get out of your cage then."
"You are going to let that creature out?" Ron demanded as ice filled the room, Lilly shuddered at the feel of it against her skin. She meowed when she saw James dying in front of her and Harry sharing his fate, as the Dark Lord laughed. Finally after what seemed an eternity Lilly's mind was again her own and she stared at a much older Remus Lupin. The years had not been kind to him, he looked more like fifty when he couldn't be more than forty.
He calmed the children and soon the train reached the station. Lilly was taken to where several other pets were to be transported to the student dorms. She hated the feel of the transportation magic and clawed the elf that let her out of her cage, before darting through the open door and trying to get up to the boy's dormitory. She stood outside the door the rat was behind, but the door was closed and she couldn't get to it. She glared angrily at the door, trying to reach the handle and turn it, but it was a knob and without hands it wouldn't turn properly. She glared again at the door, before turning around and going through the common room. Cats were allowed to roam freely in the halls, as they disposed of the mice and other vermin that the spells seeking out such things missed.
She walked through the familiar corridors, remembering her time at Hogwarts with fondness. She missed James horribly, but back during school they had been rivals and she had often attempted to stop his pranking of her best friend. She wondered as she often did what had happened to Severus, if he was married now and happy, that's what she hoped for him. He deserved happiness, even though he'd made a mistake in joining Voldemort, but he'd realized that and she had started talking to him again at meetings, when Voldemort had attacked. She was so lost in her musings that her paws led her to the Slytherin dormitories, she remembered waiting here for Severus some days, asking others to tell him she was outside and then they would go to the library, or sit outside by the lake and practice spells together. Severus had a sarcastic wit that made her laugh and he had been her best friend. That was until he fell in with the wrong crowd, started using spells that harmed others and called her a mudblood. It wasn't simply the word he had used, but the way he had used it, showed her that her friend was lost to her. That she couldn't try to stop him from going down the path he was, that he believed that she was inferior to him. It might have been in a moment of anger, but still she knew then that Severus was no longer the boy she had known. After that day, that boy was gone forever, when they had gotten on speaking terms again, after she had Harry, he had become a much sadder and much angrier young man.
Lilly had been naive and had no idea what he was really going through, she saw the marks of torture in him, but she didn't understand truly what he was risking by defecting. She knew he was putting his life in danger, but at first she didn't see how Voldemort was torturing him even though the Dark Lord believed that Severus served him. It wasn't until a few months after Severus joined the order that he had come back from a meeting, covered in blood. She had saved his life and had begged him not to go back, but he explained he had to in order to protect her. She had told him that she could protect herself and that she was about to go into hiding where no one could find her. He had wanted her Harry and even James to come with him, to stay at Spinner's End where he knew the wards were impenetrable, but Lilly and James didn't want to trust their lives to the wards, as Severus was a death eater, despite his defection.
She turned around then and was about to go back up to the Gryffindor dorms, when she saw the students heading to their dormitories. "Oh look its a cat, what's it doing here?" A first year asked trying to grab her.
"Leave it alone Roddington, it most likely has fleas."
"And no doubt a home." A silky voice said and Lilly stared up at Severus. "I will take it and see that it gets to its rightful owner in the morning." Severus said and Lilly felt him lift her into his arms. "If you scratch me, I know some ingredients that use Kneazle hair, that I've been getting around to using, but you won't scratch me will you?" He asked and Lilly would have laughed, had she been human, as it was she playfully kneaded his robes. "None of that, now young witches and wizards, you are scions of Slytherin House. There will always be those that assume the worst of you, but you will know the truth. That you are determined to become the best you can be. Protect one another in the corridors, don't instigate fights, if reports of you fighting come back to me you will serve detention. As the other houses dislike ours, it is imperative that you stick together and show a united front. That being said if you mess up in my class, or cause a disturbance, you will loose points and serve detention after that class ends. I refuse to allow bad behavior to go unpunished, however I do enjoy watching the Gryffindor students squirm and claim that I'm an unfair horrible greasy git. Find humor in the insults they throw at you and respond with ones of your own. Don't however instigate duels or directly attack other students, use your cunning and ambition wisely, as I'd rather not have to spend my evenings watching you scrub cauldrons. Any students younger than fifth year are expected to be in the dorms after dinner, fifth year and above can walk around the castle until curfew at nine." Severus said. "Study hard, do well and make your families proud." He then turned and with a swirl of his robes stalked out of the hallway.
"I did cut a rather impressive figure did I not?" Severus asked and Lilly meowed, she decided that she would attempt to write her name on paper for Severus. Severus would help her gain her true form and then she could be with Harry again. She smiled at the thought as she was let go in Severus' quarters. She dashed over to the inkwell and knocked it over before spelling out Lilly with the ink. Severus stared at her and the ink and she meowed extending one claw towards the ink. "It cannot be, I held Lilly's body." Lilly spelled out transfig..."Yes possibly the Dark Lord used Transfiguration to turn you into a cat, but what about the...He could have transfigured a facsimile of you as well. There are several spells that can be tried of course." He said and started to cast a series of spells, most of which did nothing to Lilly. It wasn't until seven in the morning that Severus finally found the one that reversed what turned out to be a curse, rather than a simple transfiguration.
Lilly sprawled naked in Severus' study, she stared at the drained wizard a moment, before Severus' eyes rolled up into the back of his head and he passed out from magical exhaustion She found some robes and put them on, she was skinny enough that they fit her, after years of not eating much in order to attempt her escape. Her limbs felt weak as well, all those years in a cage hadn't been kind to her. She quickly dressed and stared down at the now snoring Severus, uncertainly. She wasn't entirely sure what she should do, she couldn't just go into the breakfast hall and give her son the shock of his young life, not to mention the rest of the wizard community, but Severus also needed help and he would be in no condition to teach classes that morning. She frowned, uncertain of what to do, before she looked into the storage cabinet. Before getting pregnant with Harry she had been training to be a mediwitch and she found the potions she needed. Considering the severity of his magical overuse, Severus should be out for the rest of the day at least.
She found his wand and used it to levitate him, they had discovered as children that unlike most wands, theirs were compatible with one another and so she could easily use his. After she levitated him to the bed, she did another spell to undo the buttons on his robes and slid his over robes off of him. He was dressed in a simple black tee shirt and soft black velvet pants. She looked down at him a moment and realized he looked quite handsome, despite his slight paler and loud snoring. She administered the potions coxing him to drink them. She looked once more at Severus, before she left his quarters.
She decided that it might be best to meet Harry for the first time in private and if he was anything like James he'd most likely wait as long as possible before making it to the Great Hall. She walked up to the head table and the Professors and Headmaster stared at her in shock, the students stared at her in confusion. "I am Lilly Potter, I was transformed by He Who Must Not Be Named into the form of a cat. I do not know why he spared me, when so many others lost their lives to his attempt to take over the magical world. I have lived as a cat, from the time He Who Must Not Be Named came to my house and killed my husband and injured my child and died, until seven this morning when Severus Snape freed me from my furry little problem. Severus exhausted himself in doing so and I gave him potions to help him rejuvenate his magic, but I doubt he will wake today, as he spent all night last night trying to undo the transfiguration that was on me. In addition Ron Weasley has in his possession a rat that is in fact an animargius named Peter Pettigrew. Pettigrew is responsible for giving away the location of our safe house. He was our secret keeper and not Sirius Black. I demand that he be brought to justice for his crimes against me and my family. I also would like to see my son Harry and would appreciate if I could do so in private. I know some years have passed, but I have lost track of time, while I was imprisoned in several witches and wizard's homes and a pet shop before being bought by Miss Hermione Granger."
"I'll get Harry to go to my study, of course such a reunion should be between mother and son." McGonagall said. "I am very happy that you are alright my dear." She said and Lilly smiled at her.
"Thank you." Lilly said.
"It's been nearly twelve years since Voldemort attacked your family." Dumbledore said and Lilly frowned.
"Twelve years?" She demanded and Dumbledore nodded, his eyes lacked their usual twinkle.
"Yes I am so sorry Lilly, if I had known, if I had any idea..."
"Its not your fault Dumbledore, its the fault of He Who Must Not Be Named." Lilly said and a moment later McGonagall came back with a cage and a sleeping rat.
"I thought it would be best if we transfigured him out of the sight of the students. Mr. Potter is waiting for you, he doesn't know why he's in my office, or why I took Mr. Weasley's rat." She said. "Mr. Weasley insisted upon accompanying him."
"Its good he'll have a friend there, they seemed close, when I saw them with Hermione." Lilly said and smiled, before walking to McGonagall's study.
"What's all this about Harry?" Ron was asking.
"I don't know, you know as much as I do, you heard McGonagall."
"Yeah I did, but what is she going to do with my rat?"
"She is going to turn Mr. Pettigrew into the authorities, Mr. Pettigrew was an animargius who was indirectly responsible for your father's death Harry." Lilly said and Harry stared at her, his eyes filling with tears.
"Mum?" He asked and Lilly opened her arms, as he ran into them. She felt her own eyes filling with tears, as Ron stared at them both.
"You look just like your father." Lilly said as Harry cried, she led them over to a couch and continued to hold him stroking his hair. "The last time I saw you as a human, you fit into my arms so easily. I was cursed into the form of a cat by He Who Must Not Be Named, I spent twelve years as a cat, but I'm back now Harry and we can be a family again." She said as she stroked his hair and he continued to cry. "Why don't we eat something and you can tell me all about yourself?" She asked after a few minutes and Harry nodded, he wiped at his face and Lilly smiled at him, as they sat down at the table. "You are of course welcome to join us Ron."
"I er better go, let you and Harry talk." Ron said and Lilly smiled.
"Would you rather it be just us, or have Ron here Harry?"
"Just us." Harry said and Lilly smiled.
"Some other time then Ron, I was good friends with your Mum, before we went into hiding, I remember when she was pregnant with you and I used to babysit your older brothers sometimes. That changed after the prophecy, but we still kept in touch."
"What prophecy?" Harry asked and Lilly frowned.
"You don't know about it? Well there was some sort of prophecy saying that you would be the one to defeat the Dark Lord. Obviously we had to go into hiding after the prophecy was known and we didn't have much contact with the wizarding world after that. Still you were a joy and James and I felt that it was enough to have one another and our baby, we didn't need anyone else, though friends still visited sometimes." Lilly said and smiled. "You were an adorable Harry and always getting into mischief, I think because James encouraged you more than anything. If he caught you with your hand in the cookie jar, or smearing your baby food on the walls, he'd just laugh. I had to be the one to punish you, because James felt that it was a bit of harmless fun." Lilly laughed remembering, as Ron left the room. "So how have you been?"
"Alright Mum, the Dursleys are..."
"Dumbledore sent you to live with my sister? How dare he? She hates magic, did they hurt you Harry?"
"What no, they didn't hurt me, ignored me for the most part." He said and Lilly hugged him.
"You won't ever be ignored again, now lets see about getting some food, I used to go to the kitchens, as I'd often skip meals studying, would you like to eat there?" Lilly asked and Harry nodded, they walked together to the kitchens and the house elves gave them food. Lilly dug into her plate of eggs and took ten pieces of bacon. "I love bacon haven't had it in ages." She said as she buttered toast and served herself large helpings of jam. She sighed at her first bite of toast. "I also love sweet things and no one ever gives the cat sweet food." She said continuing to eat. "Your professors were alright with you having the day off, so what do you enjoy doing, maybe we could do something together."
"I just want to talk with you." Harry said and Lilly smiled.
"We could go to Hogsmeade at least, James and I used to go to this funny little tea shop. Its sort of just their so students can date, but its got loads of hearts and pink decorations, its pretty funny. We used to joke about the decor in the shop, he took me there for our third date and we'd go there often."
"Where did he take you on your first date?" Harry asked eagerly and Lilly smiled.
"Flying, I love flying and so did James, though I wasn't on the team, because I'd often be studying, or reading in the library. I was a lot like your friend Hermione as a girl actually. Intelligent and very fond of books and learning about new spells. Still that didn't mean that I wouldn't borrow the school broom on weekends. Our first Christmas together, James got me a Cleansweep Five, so we could go flying together, without asking to use the broom shed." Lilly smiled at the memory. "Or sometimes I'd fly on the back of your father's broom. In winter I used to throw snow balls at him and insist that we make a snowman. I was looking forward to you being able to play in the snow before the attack."
"I like snow alright, though I like sun better and I love flying too, I'm a seeker on the Gryffindor team."
"That's wonderful Harry, maybe we could go for a ride on your broom together, I'd love to go flying again."
"That sounds fun." Harry said and smiled at Lilly, who gave him another hug.
"I know most boys your age don't like getting hugs from their mothers, but I can't help it." Lilly said and smiled as he wrapped his arms around her.
"Most of my life I'd give anything to have been hugged by you, I love it when you hug me mum." Harry said and Lilly smiled tousling his hair.
"You should try some product, James got it to be more manageable by rubbing a bit of slick easy's through his hair before brushing it. We could go to Hogsmeade and get you some. Though I also liked James' messy hair and I loved running my fingers through it when he didn't have the product in." She said.
"You mean it won't be as wild if I use product?" Harry asked and Lilly nodded.
"Well it never lay exactly strait, but it was more manageable with the product. I just realized I need to give proof of life to Gringotts before anything else. They should be alright with me taking you with me, but I'll double check to be safe." Lilly said and took out Severus' wand. "Familiatis Dumbledore." Lilly said and took Harry's hand, as she walked towards Dumbledore. The Familiatis spell used the relationship that one had with the target of a spell to act as a guide to where that person was. It was very handy when someone you cared about was either missing, or you simply didn't know currently where they were. She had found it in an ancient book of spells, but she hadn't shared it with anyone, as she didn't want it getting out to her enemies and James wasn't exactly discrete. Luckily she was able to find him on his way to his office. "Dumbledore, I need to set things up with Gringotts and get a wand, as well as some clothes, can I take Harry with me?"
"Of course dear." Dumbledore said and Lilly smiled. "You can even borrow my floo powder though it might be best to go through with young Harry, he has James' gift for and liking of floos according to the Weasley's." Lilly laughed at the memory of James bent double over their fireplace, trying not to throw up, as he coughed out soot.
"Thank you that would be great." Lilly said and smiled at Dumbledore, before they walked together through the floo. She went to Gringotts and walked up to a goblin. "I am Lilly Potter Nee Evans, I am here to prove that I am still alive and to gain access to my accounts."
"You realize what will happen if you are not in fact Lilly Potter Nee Evans." The Goblin said and Lilly nodded.
"I know what will happen and I know the risk, which is no risk to me as I am telling the truth." Lilly said and the Goblin nodded.
"Hand please." The goblin said and Lilly extended her hand, a moment later the goblin took out a pin and pricked Lilly's finger. The blood fell from her finger into a bowl, which immediately glowed with a green light. "You are indeed Lilly Potter Nee Evans, here is you key." The goblin said and produced a key with a flourish. "Would you like to do some banking today?"
"I would like to make a withdrawal from my account." Lilly replied and the goblin nodded, they walked together to a cart and then were taken deep down into Gringotts.
"This isn't where my account is." Harry frowned. "Where are we going?"
"To the Potter vaults, your account was set up for you in trust, when you were a baby, with enough money to see to your needs and any desire you might have, until age eighteen. James insisted upon the amount, though I thought it was a bit much for a child. At any rate you should have enough to last quite a while. Inform me when you need more gold and I'll transfer the funds from the main account, but use your money wisely Harry." Lilly said and Harry nodded. "Now is there anything you need, school supplies or clothes, perhaps some wizard's wear for around Gryffindor tower?"
"I could use some new clothes."
"Well as I have to get an entire wardrobe, Madam Malkin will be seeing to us both, then I'm going to get a expanding trunk, would you like one as well, I know how noisy it can be in the dorms, not the best place to talk with friends, or study."
"What is an expanding trunk?" Harry asked.
"Trunks that have spells on them that make them bigger on the inside. Some more elaborate ones can have whole rooms in them, in fact there might already be a trunk or two in storage, though you'll have to wait for me to look inside. I doubt that James' family left anything dangerous, but it never hurt to look." Lilly said and smiled as the door came to a stop and she pulled out her key, she opened the door and stared at the portrait on the wall. James stared back at her in shock.
"Lilly?" James asked and grinned. "You made it out then, I was wondering why your portrait never woke up." He nodded his head to an inactive portrait. "I'm glad you made it."
"You got portraits painted of us, without asking my permission?"
"I knew that one or both of us might not survive the war and if we didn't survive and Harry did, I wanted to leave something behind for him." James said and Lilly smiled going next to his frame, he looked exactly as he had when she'd seen him last. Same twinkling hazel eyes and mischievous smile. "You've gotten so big Harry, you look like you're a chip off the old block." He said and puffed out his chest slightly, Lilly laughed and ruffled Harry's hair. "Where are the expanding trunks James and which ones should we take?" Lilly asked and James smiled.
"The purple one was my mothers, I had it refurbished for you and was going to give it to you as a Christmas Present, give Harry the blue one, it was mine when I went to Hogwarts." James said and Lilly nodded taking out the trunk.
"Should I take your portrait down with me?" Lilly asked and James shook his head.
"I hung portraits in both trunks just in case, you both survived I had planned on sending Harry's to his vault, but I didn't get to it in time." James said and shrugged. "So is life, or death or whatever you prefer to call this universe, that works in such mysterious ways." He said and Lilly laughed.
"Flippant as ever James."
"Don't you know it, after all I never grew old, so why should I act it." James said and Lilly laughed again. "Take the trunks and the gold and be happy, both of you. Lilly we never talked about what might happen while I was alive, but just to be clear, if you find someone other than my handsome mug, I want you to be happy. That's all I ever wanted for both of you, to make you happy and fill your lives with jokes and laughter, as you filled mine." James said and Lilly felt tears coming to her eyes.
"I love you James."
"And I love you Lilly flower." James said. "Now you should get on with it, we can talk after you've finished your shopping." He said and Lilly smiled.
"We will talk with you soon."
"Love you Dad." Harry managed to say and Lilly put an arm around him.
"Sneaky blighter decided to pull one last prank." Lilly said and both Harry and James laughed. Lilly took a bag and enough galleons to get everything they needed before going out of the vaults with Harry.
"He was funnier than I thought." Harry said and Lilly smiled.
"Your dad was a prankster through and through, while I was more scholarly as a teenager. He still loved pranks but he mellowed slightly when we had you, though he was always coming up with spells to make you laugh. We both were actually, sometimes we'd blow multicolored bubbles, or do some illusionary magic, and you loved it all and would let out these delighted baby shrieks." Lilly smiled at the memory as the cart took them back to the surface. "You were such a happy baby, you hardly ever cried and you were so very cute, though I might be a bit biased." She said finally and Harry smiled at her.
"Tell me more about Dad, what sort of pranks did he pull on you, how did he try to amuse me when I was a baby."
"Well there was the time that I arrived home to find the bathroom coated in bright blue bubbles and you and James were both bright blue as well. He'd been trying to add some color to the bubble bath, but it stuck to your skin and his." Lilly laughed at the memory. "He was so sheepish about handing me a bright blue baby, but you laughed and grabbed my hair and I couldn't help laughing." Lilly smiled at the memory, as they made their way to the wand shop. She bought a wand there, before continuing on to Madam Malkin's. "Would you rather get muggle things?"
"I already have some muggle clothing." Harry said and Lilly nodded, they entered the shop together and Lilly smiled at Harry, as they were both fitted for robes, glad that they didn't have to undress. She paid for both their clothing, getting a new wardrobe for both of them.
"I'm so glad that you are alright dear, I should have these ready in a hour or two, there's not much of a back log, now that Hogwarts is in session." She said and Lilly smiled.
"Thank you, would you mind if I looked at some dresses Harry?" Lilly asked and Harry shook his head, she found several cute ones and requested that they be made at knee length, rather than the full skirts that were displayed.
"That would look lovely, with your skin town." Madam Malkin said and Lilly smiled.
"Thank you, this is for the dresses, now we'd better leave before Harry here dies of boredom." Lilly said and Harry smiled at her.
"I really don't mind Mum." Harry said and Lilly tousled his hair.
"I know you don't, but we still have to get you some slick easy's and we should also go to a magical lens crafter, those glasses are broken."
"Thanks Mum." Harry said and looked slightly embarrassed.
"After that we can go to Fortescues for lunch, I love their sandwiches and ice cream."
"Yeah I've had some, its really good." Harry said and Lilly smiled. They walked together to the lens crafters and Lilly waited while Harry was seen to, before they walked to a hair care store. Lilly got several bottles of shampoo for herself and some mint shampoo for Harry, as well as the slick easy's.
"Your father was fond of mint shampoo, I always liked the way he smelled. Manly and earthy, as well as fresh, do you like mint Harry?"
"I like it well enough." Harry said and Lilly smiled, handing him both the shampoo and slick easy's. "Now just take a small dab of this and apply it to your hair after washing, too much and it will look greasy." Lilly advised and Harry nodded.
"Thank you." Harry said and Lilly smiled.
"Of course Harry, now lets get you some food, then I have a cat to buy for your friend."
"You're getting Hermione a cat?"
"Of course if it wasn't for her, who knows how long I would have been trapped as a cat. We'll find her something sweet and intelligent just like her." Lilly said and Harry grinned.
"Thanks Mum." He said and they walked together to Fortescues. They ordered their sandwiches, Lilly got two kinds, a bacon club sandwich and a beef dip, as well as a bowl of clam chowder.
"I'm most likely not going to finish all this, but after years of eating cat food, I want to eat everything I couldn't." Lilly said and Harry nodded. "Help yourself after you finish your sandwich if you want any of mine, I know what thirteen year old boys are like, I lived with them. Bottomless pits more than anything else when it comes to food." She said and Harry laughed.
"My friend Ron is like that and I eat a fair amount too."
"James was like that, he ate just about everything he could get his hands on and never gained a pound. Oh how I envied him for it when we were teenagers." Lilly said and Harry laughed again. Lilly smiled when the food came and dug into it hungrily, it was all as good as she remembered, when she came up for air she realized she'd eaten two thirds of the food she had ordered and Harry was staring at her slightly wide eyed, she licked the soup from around her mouth and licked her hand without thinking about it, cleaning her face. She frowned and put her hand down and reached for her napkin instead. "Habit, I'll soon remember how to act more human, but I was a cat for twelve years and old habits die hard." She said and Harry smiled. "Would you like some."
"Go ahead and finish it, I'm fine and you seem hungry." Harry said and Lilly nodded, diving back into the food and finishing it off. She then ordered four scoops of ice cream for both of them, getting all chocolate for herself, as well as the sherbet Harry wanted. "Merlin I missed chocolate, its bad for cats and so I never could have any." Lilly said savoring her ice cream. "Mmm, so good." She said and blushed slightly as Harry blushed as well, she continued to savor her ice cream and didn't realize she was purring as she ate, or as close human vocal cords could get to a purr. She paid the bill and they walked together to the pet store.
Wanna play, I wanna play, you wanna play? A kitten meowed.
Shut up all you want to do is play, I'm sleepy and I can't sleep while your meowing in my ear. Another kitten protested and Lilly walked over to the cage, looking at the Kneazle kittens. there were two ginger kittens who both were asleep, as well as two that were awake.
Sleeping is boring want to play!
I'm sleepy you don't have anything but fur between your ears. The kitten said and Lilly laughed, she liked the kitten, it had spunk and was funny. She reached out a hand to the cage and the kitten approached sniffing her. Red coated human lady, with her kit, she smells nice, come on brother smell her. They like it when we smell them and she might give us pets. The kitten said and Lilly laughed, caressing the face of the small kitten.
What's happening, who's come? One of the sleeping kittens woke up and stared at Lilly. She's pretty for a human, maybe she'll take us out of the cage and we can go find brother.
He's been gone for a week now, where are we going to find him? The other kitten asked and Lilly smiled.
He lives with another human now, soon you will all go to different humans and be able to run and play freely.
Want to stay with my brothers and sisters, even though he's a fluff for brains. How can you talk like us?
I was a cat for years, before I was able to transform into my human form. How about this, you can live most of the year with your brothers and sisters, but for a few months, you'll be with your new owners only and they will take good care of you and play with you.
You seem nice and you give good scratches, I trust her, we go with her yes?
Yes. The kittens answered and Lilly smiled she'd keep two of the cats and give two to Ron and Hermione, to replace the pets they had both lost, she doubted that Molly or the Grangers would mind much. She got enough food for the kittens, a well as some toys for them to play with and beds and bowls for them to eat out of, as well as two litter boxes. "I thought you might like a kitten Harry."
"We're only allowed one pet and I have an owl." Harry said and Lilly smiled.
"Well then I'll take two kittens and you can pick one to "visit" you." Lilly said and Harry laughed.
"You aren't very much like Hermione, she loves rules."
"Yes well, I learned with time that some rules are meant to be bent a bit, it's more fun that way." Lilly said and paid for the kittens, they were small enough to fit into just one cat carrier. "Now should we surprise your friends?"
"They'll both be really excited, I am, and I like cats well enough." Harry said and Lilly smiled, they traveled by floo to the village, Lilly casting sleeping spells on the kittens before they went through, to stop them from getting scared. She smiled as they walked back to the castle together.
"You can use the spell I used on Dumbledore on your friend Ron to find him, I'm already quite fond of Hermione so I should be able to track her down." Lilly said and used the tracking spell. They walked together to the library. Lilly smiled and set the cat carrier down on the table Hermione was reading at. "Hello dear." Lilly said and Hermione looked up from her book and smiled at Lilly.
"Hello Mrs. Potter, you got some kittens?" Hermione asked and Lilly nodded.
"I thought that you may like to provide a home for one of them."
"I'd love to!" Hermione said and threw her arms around Lilly. "Thank you Mrs. Potter."
"Of course dear, they are all rather intelligent, I think there are two girls and two boys." Lilly said and opened the cage looking at the kittens and nodding. "Would you rather have a girl or a boy? One's more playful than the rest, so I thought I might give that one to Ron."
"You're giving a kitten to Ron too?"
"I was responsible for his rat being taken into custody." Lilly said and smiled at Hermione. "They won't wake up until I cancel the spell I put them under."
"They are all so cute, which one do you like?" Hermione asked and Lilly handed her a kitten.
"I didn't ask them their names, but they should respond to what you name them."
"Cats have names?"
"Of course they do, most are simple like One Who Feather Dances, or Sharp Claw Foot's Bane that was a particularly nasty specimen." Lilly said and Hermione laughed.
"I'd like to hear their names first." Hermione said and Lilly nodded, she attached leashes to the kittens and woke them.
What are your names kits?
I am One Who Plays Tricks, he is One Who Tumbles Among Clouds, he is One Who Dances Upon The Wind, she is One who Has Dancing Thoughts.
Great names all, I was once She Who Studies Her Reflection.
Lilly smiled at the kittens. "She is One Who Plays Tricks which means she likes mischief, so she might scratch at your things, or cause other mayhem. This is One Who Tumbles Among Clouds He is a is a good climber and loves it, this one is One Who Dances Upon The Wind likes to play and the last one is One who Has Dancing Thoughts, which means she's intelligent. "
"Could I have the last one please?" Hermione asked and Lilly nodded, handing her the kitten and smiling as Hermione stroked its fur. "Aren't you a nice kitty we'll get on well." She said and Lilly smiled.
"What about you Harry?" Lilly asked.
"I'll take the one that likes to climb, I was thinking of naming him Everest."
"That's a good name." Lilly said and smiled telling the kitten what his name was and what it meant.
I'm Everest I have a human name now and you don't The kitten teased and Lilly laughed, she scooped up One Who Plays Tricks and asked if she would like to be called Loki, she let out a loud meow of agreement and purred. She then explained to One Who Has Dancing thoughts that Hermione would rather wait to name her.
What about me?
I know a boy that will love and take god care of you. Lilly assured the kitten and it nodded.
"Wow did you see that Harry?"
"Kneazle are highly intelligent animals, they understand most of what they are saying, but like any creature they prefer to be spoken to in their own tongue."
"Its amazing how you know how to speak to cats." Hermione said.
"Not really, I had to learn, after being transfigured for so long and it took a very long time, but I learned eventually." Lilly said and Hermione nodded. Lilly put Loki and her brother on her shoulders. "Now lets go find Ron."
"He might be outside now." Hermione said and Harry took out his wand and cast the spell. He grinned when it worked and Lilly beamed at her son.
"That was very good Harry, looks like he's in Gryffindor tower." Lilly said and together they walked to Gryffindor tower, Lilly carrying the cat carrier and her trunk, as Harry carried his kitten and his trunk. They found Ron sitting on his bed somewhat dejectedly.
"Hello Mate." Ron said and Lilly smiled. "I can't believe that I had a murder sleeping right next to me for all those years." Ron said and shook his head.
"Well would another pet cheer you up, one who is decidedly a Kneazle and never was or will be human?" Lilly asked and the boy's gaze shot up to her and the kittens. "I got you and Harry enough food to last several months at least, would you like a kitten, this one I thought you might like, he loves playing." Lilly said and Ron grinned
"I'll call him Chudley after the Cannons, he's orange like them." Ron said and Lilly smiled handing Ron the kitten and taking out the pet supplies. They spent the rest of the afternoon playing with the kittens, though after some time Hermione got out a book and started to read to her's as she petted it.
Like human words, like pets, happy. Hermione's kitten said and Lilly smiled.
"She loves having you reading to her and petting her." Lilly said and Hermione grinned.
"How about Libra then? Libre is Latin for book and its an astrological sign as well as being a constellation."
"That sounds like a fine name Hermione." Lilly said and smiled at the girl. "Harry as we've already done our shopping, I'm going to check on Severus in the hospital wing."
"You know Professor Snape?" Harry asked shocked and Lilly nodded.
"He was a childhood friend, we grew apart as teenagers though. He's the reason I'm human again instead of furry. He magically exhausted himself for my sake and so it's only right that I go check on him." Lilly said and Harry frowned.
"Snape is horrible, all he ever does is berate me in class and claim I'm just like Dad." Harry said and Lilly frowned.
"Seems like I will need to have a talk with Severus about that. He didn't like James in school but that's no excuse for being mean to you Harry, if anyone is mean to you, you come tell me."
"Mum I can fight my own battles, I don't need you to have a talk with Snape, or anyone else." Harry said.
"Has anyone else been bullying my boy?" Lilly demanded her wand coming to her hand and Harry stared wide eyed at his mother in shocked surprise.
"I get as good as I get Mum." Harry protested.
"Who's been bullying you?" Lilly demanded.
"I'm not being bullied, though we have cast curses at one another."
"Give me their name and I'll give them an earful."
"Mum Draco Malfoy is my age, please don't go giving classmates lectures or anything else." Harry said and Lilly frowned
"Lucius was a nasty piece of work in school, he was several years above me, but made it very clear of what he thought of me and my blood status." Lilly said and Harry's fist tightened. "Has Draco been bullying Hermione?" Lilly asked and Harry nodded. "After we go see your professor for a bit, I'll be going to the library." Lilly said and Harry groaned.
"Can't we go flying Mum, please?" Harry asked and Lilly laughed, before ruffling Harry's hair.
"Maybe tomorrow, I'd read most of the books on the subject I'll be researching and was just about done with my research when I graduated and had to drop it in favor of mediwitch training and then you came into my life." Lilly said and smiled at Harry, who grinned back at her.
"Whatever you want to do Mum, if it's been bothering you for this long, you should do it. I can read my spell books while you're in the library." Harry said and Lilly smiled, together they walked to the hospital wing.
"If you don't stop plying me with potions and let me go this instant, I will be very cross Madam!"
"Oh hush you, you don't want to miss another day of teaching now do you?" Madam Pomphrey demanded and Lilly sighed.
"Severus never was a very good patient, I remember he never would stay any longer than was completely necessary." Lilly said.
"Lilly!" Severus said and threw his arms around her, kissing her on the lips. "I didn't know it would work, but it did and you're alright! Your alive, I didn't kill the only person I ever loved."
"He's slightly loopy thanks to the healing potions..."
"Why did you have to go and marry Potter, we could have been good together Lilly." Severus said and swayed in Lilly's arms, before giggling. "I'm so happy you are alright."
"Yes Sev, I'm fine." Lilly said and frowned at the man she was supporting, either Severus just believed himself to be in love with her because of the potion, or he had truly loved her since they both were teens. Severus was a very complicated man, but Lilly wanted so badly to have a man care about her again. She would always love James, but that didn't mean she would never try to be with anyone ever again, now that he was gone. Still Harry came first, the most important person in Lilly's life was her son. She'd have to talk to Severus once he was no longer flying high from the magical overdose and healing potions. "Now why don't we have a nice lie down, I'll stroke your hair like I did when we were younger." Lilly offered and Severus gave her a slightly lopsided grin as Lilly got him into his hospital bed and sat with his head in her lap. "Now I'll only do this if you stay still."
"Won't move." Severus promised and looked at Lilly with adoration in his slightly glassy eyes. Lilly smiled softly and stroked her fingers through his hair, he sighed against the touch of her hand and smiled softly looking like the boy she had known, who had been her best friend. Within moments he was snoring loudly through his nose. Lilly laughed remembering how she'd giggled when Severus had snuck into her house to stay the night when she had been nine. He was gone before dawn the next morning and had spent many nights in her room before they had gone off to school. There were now wrinkles around his mouth, from frown lines and he had aged and changed from that innocent boy she had known, but there were still traces of her friend in his face. She smiled softly, before moving herself out from underneath him.
"Thank you dear, he never rests when he needs to and if he had left against my advice he most likely would have wound up back here again. Some of the potions he's taking don't allow for sleeping potions, so I'm very glad that you came along and managed to get him to lie down and sleep some more."
"Severus always pushes himself too hard, I learned long ago that I would have to convince him to take breaks and let himself rest." Lilly said and shook her head.
"What about you dear, weren't you up most of the night as well?"
"Yes but there's so much to do and I'm so excited about being human again that I want to do it all, who has time for sleep when there's a whole world of things to do." Lilly said and smiled at Harry, before she walked to the library. She got out the books from the section she had been looking in and skimmed through five before she finally found what she was looking for. "Ancesstorius Magicum Revelium." Lilly said pointing her wand at herself. She stared at the names as they appeared with birth and death dates underneath them. The most recant names were those of the Malfoy and Weasley's on one side, with just the last name of some wizard named Gaunt on the other, all had died over a hundred years ago. She was related to three of the four founders of Hogwarts but there were other names she recognized as well but mostly they were unknown to her, the names spanned back about three thousand years or so. The most ancient of all was the name Hera and other names from the Greek pantheon, though Hera seemed to pass from mother to daughter for several hundred years, before the name changed to something else entirely. She wondered why this spell wasn't more commonly used and smiled at Harry who seemed just as shocked as she was.
"I'm related to Voldemort?" Harry asked and Lilly frowned.
"Not just him Harry, others as well, this spell only shows direct descendants, there's also a spell that just shows family who's currently alive but you have to be at least fourth cousins for the relationship to be recognized. At any rate lets go to dinner." Lilly said and walked with Harry to the Great Hall. "Muggle born and Pureblood students come over to me ." Lilly said and everyone stared at Lilly in shock. "That is of course if you want to know your magical ancestry, and the truth to magical inheritance, if you don't that's alright as well." Lilly said and cast the spell and several people stared in shock as the names were revealed. At once a crowd of Gryffindor surrounded her and she grinned at the students as she cast the spell on them. "There you see, this proves once and for all that muggleborns didn't steal their magic from anyone, you lot just are so desperate to breed with other wizards that you wind up breeding the magic right out of you. Or that's what I think anyway, considering how most of the powerful wizards I know are at least a half-blood. Including He Who Must Not Be Named. Those that look down on Muggle Borns and consider them to be better are wrong, yes you know more magic at first and you've have had longer to learn it, but Hermione and I show that with a bit of hard work you can easily catch up. As for the cultural and societal norms and social graces, how can one learn anything if they are never taught? Find another thing to pick on my son for Malfoy, because you can see his lineage is just as ancient and powerful as yours and you do not want to piss me off."
Everyone stared at her and she smiled, before she yawned and filled her plate with food. "Dumbledore I'd like to stay with Harry, might I become the Finishing Instructor?"
"What are your qualifications?"
"I was Madam Sinclair Parkinson's cat for the last five years of her life, during that time I learned much about proper educate for both young boys and girls as well as reading many informative books on the subject and I would like to share that knowledge with those that do not already know the social graces." Lilly said and did a semi formal curtsy demurely rotating her head a quarter of an inch, which was both a gesture of respect and a way to ask to enter a contract.
"Madam Sinclair Parkinson's school was one of the premier schools for magical educate, I see no issue with you teaching these lessons, you may do so in the old ballroom, as long as you allow all students to join."
"Of course, we should focus it by year and gender, two days a week would be preferable to me."
"It would have to be an elective, I can only make changes to the school curriculum in that manner."
'What about those that want to take classes but already know most of what you will teach?" Hermione asked and Lilly smiled at her. "I know what its like to be stuck in classes when I already know how to do the spells..."
"Then I suppose an aptitude test can be given and those that score higher will be placed in a more advanced class, if that is acceptable for you Dumbledore?"
"Of course it is, you can sign a contract at a later date, for now you should focus on making the test and spending time with your son."
"Thank you Dumbledore." Lilly said and smiled. "Could I trouble someone for a note taking quill and some parchment?" She asked and a student from the Ravenclaw table handed theirs to her. Lily smiled and spoke out the questions for the test at the teacher's table, she decided that five hundred questions should be enough to determine everyone's skill level. She finished the test by the end of dinner and smiled again at the Ravenclaw student. "Thank you for the use of your supplies, could I trouble everyone that wishes to take this exam to give me thirty sheets of parchment?"
"The school of course will reimburse you and you may start teaching tomorrow, would you be alright in making four levels of difficulty?"
"I'd be fine with that and a master class in addition to the other four levels." Lilly said and several of the Pureblood students sat up straighter in their seats. "Don't expect this test to be easy." Lilly warned, before she copied out the exam and watched as the students filled it out. "It would be in your best interest not to copy off other's papers, as you will not receive instruction in certain areas which you may very well need to receive instruction." Lilly said and watched as everyone took the test, she then used a quick grading method and ordering spell after the grading spell, to order the students names by class. "One student has made it into my master class this year, do you believe yourself able to learn from me Miss Bradlegrace?"
"I would not have taken the test if I was not willing to try." Miss. Bradlegrace said and Lilly smiled at her.
"Perhaps you might demonstrate for the others from time to time, if that might be allowable?" Lilly asked and the other Professors nodded.
"Miss Bradlegrace is a credit to Ravenclaw house, it would not hurt her to miss the occasional lesson." Professor Flitwick said.
"Now for the fourth level students when I call out your name collect your exam." Lilly said. "All answers are final I'm afraid, but if you can prove yourself capable to advance to another of my classes, you may do so." Lilly said. "I believe it would be best if we did this by ranking, Miss Bradlegrace alone will be in the Primer class, the students in the secondary class are as follows..." Lilly continued till she got to the end of the secondary class. "Now for the tertiary class the students in that class are as follows..." Lilly finished listing off the names.
"How dare you put me in the quaternary class my father will hear of this!"
"Mr. Malfoy there are severe gaps in your education, which do not warrant you making it past the quaternary class. While your knowledge was across the board in the things you did know, there were a great deal of gaps as well. There is no shame in being in the quaternary class, the way I will be teaching it will be as if you were taking a third year summer class with Mrs. Parkinson, I am simply teaching what I myself was taught by paying attention in other's lessons. If you wish to see your exam you may of course do so, or as I said if you wish to gain a higher level, you can simply learn more information, I will be offering the same test again every two months, for the rest of the school year."
"Its unfair!"
"Life is seldom fair Mr. Malfoy, I am surprised that you do not realize how unfair certain aspects of life can be at your age. You should not talk back to me, because I am your teacher and I will not tolerate such behavior in my lessons. You will address me as either Madam Potter, or Professor Potter, whatever you prefer, but you will give me the respect that I as your teacher deserve, or you will not be enrolled in my classes, do I make myself clear."
"Yes Madam Potter." Draco said and nodded his head in deference.
"I will now recite the members of the quaternary class, they are as follows..." Lilly listed off the names and when she got to Hermione's there was an uproar. "SILENCE! The scoring and positioning of these classes are deserved, Miss Granger answered two hundred and fifty of the questions correctly, which more than allows her entrance into my quaternary class. I will not show any of you the results, as that will be an excuse to embarrass and malign your classmates but I assure you that Miss Granger has just as much right to be in the class she is in, as any other student." Lilly stated and saw Hermione blushing. "Some students will score higher than others, while others will score lower. This is not even the first day, so the rankings will change and along with the rankings, your classes. Do poorly and you will be sent down a class, excel and you will make it to the more advanced classes." Lilly said and smiled. "I believe that a wizard once said that there is no good and no evil, there is simply knowledge and those strong enough to take it."
"How do you know that?" Draco demanded and Lilly smiled.
"Mr. Malfoy, do you truly believe that I could live in a place for five years and never learn anything while there? I might have been trapped in the form of a cat, but that does not mean that I am incompetent. With magic it is true that by its very nature, knowledge is power, the more knowledge you have, the better you can draw on your core, the better you can draw on your core, the better you can create spells and enchantments. However there is one point at which that wizard and I disagree, there is a difference between good and evil. Every day we have the choice between doing something good, or doing something bad, those choices shape our future and who we become. Not magic, which is an elemental force, but instead who we are and what we do with that power. Then again I was a white witch before my transformation into a cat and I would consider myself a Grey practitioner now, in accordance with the spells I am willing to use. There is no spell that I am not willing to use in the defense of myself, or my child and you may inform your parents of that. You are all children and children shouldn't be forced into wars that they don't understand."
"But Mom what about if Voldemort returns, he nearly has twice."
"Prophesies by their very nature are vague, my husband was killed over such a prophesy and my child permanently scarred, another boy lost his parents to madness, but that does not mean that the prophesy is straight forward at all. The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches... born to those who have thrice defied him, born as the seventh month dies... and the Dark Lord will mark him as his equal, but he will have power the Dark Lord knows not... and either must die at the hand of the other for neither can live while the other survives... the one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord will be born as the seventh month dies...Pretty much only Voldemort a very powerful wizard, who is the only one with the inclination and ability to kill my son is the only one that can kill my son. Similarly my son who was doing accidental magic at the age of eight months, is the only one who has the ability to kill Voldemort. Living and surviving are two different things, you can survive without living, but you can't live without surviving. Harry has some sort of power that Voldemort doesn't know about and which I certainly won't be revealing although I have my beliefs about it. Suffice it to say that if Voldemort attempted to kill my son, he would only be killing his own Horcrunx, something I don't believe to be in his best interest."
"What's a Horcrunx?" Hermione asked.
"Its a way to ensure you cannot be killed by magical means, at the expense of your soul and all too often your sanity. It requires a ritual and the murder of another person that is central to your life in some way to create. I do not know more than that and the fact that my son has a piece of Voldemort's soul in his scar."
"How do I get it out?" Harry demanded.
"You don't Harry, it's protecting you." Lilly said and smiled at the students. "I will finish calling out the names of the fourth class, I hardly think it necessary to call out the names of the fifth class, you will show up at the proper time if you are interested in taking my course." Lilly said and yawned. "If you will excuse me?"
"Of course." Dumbledore said and Lilly smiled, she walked to Hogsmeade and then used a locating spell she'd picked up in the Parkinson library. She then proceeded to systematically destroy all of Voldemort's Horcruxes, relying on energy potions to assist her flagging reserves, she managed to locate all of them except the cup, which was in the Gringotts account of Bellatrix Lestrange. She then returned to Hogwarts and curled up on the couch in the library, falling asleep.