A/N: This takes place during Half-Blood Prince, when the Wizarding World is at war with Lord Voldemort. Nobody knows what the animals, magical or non-magical, did during the Second Wizarding War. Did they help fight against or for the Dark Side? Were they spies? This will cover what the animals saw during the dark years of Voldemort's reign of terror. There will be many OC characters, but they will also be canon characters as well. *Edit Chapter Again*
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter. All rights and ownership belong to the great J.K. Rowling.
Prologue
Ripper padded along the forest floor, enjoying the soft grass under his paws. He and the other bulldogs had visited the woods plenty of times in his neighborhood, but without his mistress, Marge; she hated nature. Ripper stopped and took in the forest, eyes wide in wonder. There was a soft breeze in the air, making the trees sway in a hypnotizing way. Crickets chirped their songs to one another and the occasional hoot of an owl could be heard. The full moon bathe the forest in a light the sun could never produce. The forest was beautiful, indeed.
But there was something mysterious about the forest. It held a powerful force that Ripper couldn't explain. It was something as natural as a blooming flower but as unnatural as cold weather in summer. The bulldog had felt the force before when he and Marge visited her relatives in Privet Drive three years ago. But this force was much more powerful, and it spread to the trees, to the flowers, and even to the grass beneath Ripper's paws.
Before he even had time to ponder about the strange force, Ripper heard a scream. He ran to where the scream came from and was met with a horrific sight. Mutilated bodies of humans and animals covered the ground. The once green grass was now stained red with blood. Ripper felt the urge to vomit. He looked up at the sky, and was greeted by a glittering green skull with a snake protruding from its mouth. The snake opened its mouth, showing huge fangs, and went straight for Ripper.
Ripper opened his mouth to scream, but no sound came out. Oh, no, Ripper thought in terror. It's going to kill me!
Just as the snake was inches away from him, Ripper woke up in his bed, shaking with fear. The bulldog looked around his mistress's room, where he slept. When he checked there was no bodies or green skulls with snakes coming out of their mouths, Ripper sighed. He got out of his bed and walked quietly out the bedroom door. Marge, who was asleep in bed, always leave the door ajar so he can come and go as he please.
Ripper went out the doggy door. Normally he would walk around the house, patrolling around it but tonight he'll patrol the neighborhood. He had a lot of thinking to do. He pushed the fence door open and walked away from the house. While he was patrolling, Ripper thought about the dream. He'd had nightmares before, but they all paled in comparison to the nightmare he just had.
And that green skull with the snake, Ripper thought with a shudder. Was it supposed to be a symbol or something?
He was so preoccupied with his thoughts that he didn't even see the dog running to him. It ran at full speed into Ripper, causing him to hit against the wall of a house. He looked up to see his attacker and bit back a groan. It was Jaws, the meanest dog in the neighborhood. He was a black pitbull as large as Ripper. He had a scarred muzzle and a scar across his right eye from all the fights he's been in.
"Hello, Ripper," Jaws smirked. "I told you I was going to get revenge for humiliating me and tonight is the night."
Ripper rolled his eyes as he got up. "Are you still mad at me for beating you in a fight? You were asking for a beating when you were bullying one of my siblings. Besides, I don't feel like dealing with you tonight so just go away."
Jaws glared at him. "I lost my reputation as the strongest dog in the neighborhood because of you! Now I'm known as the second strongest dog after you! By beating you, I can get my reputation back."
"Whatever you say," grumbled Ripper. "But as I said before, I don't feel like fighting you right now."
"Aw, is little Ripper too afraid to fight big bad Jaws?" Jaws mocked in a baby voice. "Does he want to go back home to his human?"
Ripper growled. "Go away, Jaws. Go back to where you live."
"Alright," said Jaws, "I'll just bully your pathetic siblings if you don't want to fight."
That set Ripper off. With a growl, he charged at Jaws, but he was ready. He moved out the way and jumped on Ripper's back. Jaws bit Ripper's left ear, causing pain to ripple through his ear. Ripper managed to buck Jaws off his back. He wanted to end the fight quickly. He ran at Jaws, who was about to jump, and grabbed his foreleg. With all his strength, Ripper picked Jaws up and slammed him to the ground.
He let go of Jaws's foreleg and huffed. "Do you give up now, Jaws?"
The pitbull rolled over and shakily got to his paws. That slam must've been harder than Ripper thought.
Jaws snarled at Ripper with pure hatred in his black eyes. "This isn't over, bulldog. I will win and everyone will know who's the superior dog."
He walked away, making sure to bump Ripper as he passed. Ripper rolled his eyes at Jaws' immaturity. Now he was too tired from the fight to finish his patrol around the neighborhood. Cursing the pitbull, Ripper trudged back to his house. When he got there, he sensed was being watched. He turned around, but no one was there. As soon as the feeling went away, Ripper went inside the house through the doggy door. He went to his mistress's bedroom and got on his bed. He closed his eyes and enjoyed a dreamless sleep.
No one was out on that particularly chilling night. Everyone knew it was dangerous to be out at night, where nothing is off limits. Even the bravest of hearts couldn't deny the strange feelings in the air. The feeling of hopelessness and despair was in the air, affecting everyone it enters. A horned owl flew through the black clouds, corrupted with Dark Magic. He did not have a letter to deliver. The owl named Nightwing was flying to meet an animal he knew well.
With his keen night vision, Nightwing saw a kneazle sitting on a brown fence. He fluttered down and perched himself next to the magical cat. The kneazle's ear twitched, acknowledging the owl's presence, but he did not say anything. Neither animal said a word for a moment. Then Nightwing spoke. "It's good to see you, Felix. But why have you called me here?"
Felix, the kneazle with striped ginger fur with two scars across his right eye, turned to his friend. "Nightwing, you know we need more help if we're ever going to defeat Voldemort" - Nightwing winced as he said the name - "for good. Harry Potter may be chosen by fate to kill that monster, but he's going to need support, especially when the final battle comes. You see that house over there?"
Nightwing turned to see a large squared house painted white. The grass in the yard was freshly cut and the bushes were trimmed. The horned owl had to admit, it was beautiful.
"An ugly woman lives there," explained Felix. "She breeds bulldogs for a living. There is one particular bulldog she loves more than the others. He is the one to help us."
Nightwing frowned. "But I don't sense any magic. How could a Muggle dog help us save our world?"
Felix smiled mysteriously. "Oh, you'll be surprised at what the dog can do. I've been following him. I saw him defeat a dog his size, and he's quite big. He's a tough fighter, Nightwing. We need more fighters like him on our side."
Nightwing was still doubtful, but he nodded. They continue to stare at the house for a few minutes before Felix got up to his paws and jumped off the fence. "We better get back home, Nightwing. Our witch and wizard will get worried."
"Yes," the owl agreed, "but this isn't a goodbye, you know. We live in the same house."
"I know."
Nightwing flapped his wings and took off into the sky with Felix following him.
Ripper the bulldog was unaware of the animals' conversation about him. He was sleeping peacefully in his bed not knowing what lay ahead of him.
I know Ripper isn't as mean as Harry made him out to be. This is just how I imagine Ripper to be like.
