Rough Diamond
by Healer Pomfrey
All recognizable characters belong to J. K. Rowling, and I am not earning anything by writing this story.
I am not a native speaker of English. Please excuse my mistakes.
If you don't like it, just stop reading - I don't care.
One-year-old Harry Potter stirred, letting out a series of sneezes. 'So cold,' he thought and transformed into his dog form, knowing that it would keep him warm. His father, who had been a natural Animagus just like himself, had taught him as much. 'Where am I?' Harry wondered, curiously sniffling around. However, he could not recognise any scent and became afraid of the unknown surroundings.
His dog form was that of a grump, the magical equivalent to the Muggle Golden Retriever. His fur was completely black with a small brown and white pattern on the head, and he had emerald green eyes. Among his magical capabilities was the ability to flash himself to other places.
Harry remembered, still in shock, that his mummy had been killed by the bad man and that his home was destroyed. The only other place he knew was Hogwarts. 'I go to Hogwarts,' he thought and put as much magic as he could into the thought.
An instant later, he found himself in front of the large and heavy entrance doors of the castle that he had already seen so many times. His mummy had brought him here for Aunt Poppy to heal him when he was unwell or for his granny to babysit him when she had to leave him alone for a little while.
A few students were out on the grounds flying. Harry smiled. He loved to fly. He always sat on the broom in front of his daddy, when they went flying. Somehow, he felt exhausted. He stretched out on the ground in front of the entrance doors and drifted off to sleep instantly.
HP
Harry's mind turned back to awareness, when he heard voices nearby.
"Oh what a cutie! A puppy!" a student said to the others. "Hello there, who are you? I've never seen you here," the girl then addressed him.
=I'm Weety,= Harry replied, recalling that his mummy had always called him sweetie. =I live at Hogwarts now,= he told the students, unaware that his bubbling only came out as small wuffs.
"I'm afraid we can't understand you little one," another girl told him, gently petting his head. "Is there anyone in the castle who's a dog Animagus?" she asked the others.
Unfortunately, none of her friends knew such an Animagus. However, the students kindly took the puppy into the castle, fearing that it could be too could outside for what seemed to be a very young dog.
HP
Weety happily licked the student's hand and made a few unsure steps on his four legs. In his human form, he was fifteen months old and could walk fairly well and also, like all magical children at that age, talk quite well. However, he was not used to walking on four legs, and he was very tired from the huge amount of magic that he had used earlier, plus he had caught a cold being out in the cold in his human form for the whole night. He lay down in one of the small alcoves near the entrance hall and fell asleep quickly.
When Weety woke up, he felt well rested and very hungry. 'Mummy,' he thought, however, he instinctively knew that his mummy would not be able to care for him anymore. 'Maybe I find something to eat,' he thought and hesitantly left the small alcove to explore his surroundings.
=Hey there, who are you and what are you doing here?= an unknown voice suddenly addressed him.
Weety looked around only to see a cat standing right behind him.
=I'm Weety and I'm hungwy,= he told the cat.
=I'm Mrs. Norris,= the feline informed him. =Come with me, I'll show you how to get to the kitchens. The house-elves always have food for us.=
=Fanku,= Weety replied, gratefully.
Apparently realising that he was still a baby, the older cat gently cared for the puppy. First of all, she led him to the kitchen, where the house-elves hurriedly added a water fountain for the dog as well as a bowl with puppy food to the animals' corner.
Weety happily tucked in. 'This is yummy,' he thought and ate until he felt completely full.
=Now shall I show you the castle, or do you want to take a nap first?= Mrs. Norris enquired only to add right away, =I'd prefer a nap.=
Weety nodded his agreement, and Mrs. Norris led him up a few flights of stairs to a very comfortable windowsill that was covered with a soft cloth and flooded by sunshine. He gratefully climbed up the steps leading up to it and lay down, noticing comfortably that Mrs. Norris curled up right next to him.
HP
Weety stirred, when the cat began to meticulously clean herself. He stretched his limbs, letting out a huge yawn.
=Hey little one,= Mrs. Norris said, purring. =Shall I show you the castle?=
=Yes pwease,= Harry replied and carefully climbed down the steps to the floor.
=I'll introduce you to my familiar, Mr. Filch. He's not magical, but he's nice,= Mrs. Norris announced and ran ahead, causing Harry to hurry up in order to not lose the kind cat.
Mr. Filch was very nice, at least in Harry's opinion. He leaned down and gently petted the puppy's head.
"I didn't know that cats and dogs can communicate with each other," he said in surprise, causing Mrs. Norris to let out a few purrs.
=We can communicate, because we're both magical,= she explained, patiently.
HP
After his next nap, Weety woke up feeling horrible. He could barely smell anything, his throat was sore, and he was freezing. Mrs. Norris noticed soon that the puppy was ill and questioned him, before she decided to take him to the hospital wing.
=The healer is very nice, and she'll be able to make you better quickly,= she informed him. =She can't understand you, but she can check on you magically and will know how to help you.=
'Aunt Poppy,' Weety thought upon seeing the kind, old witch, who had already healed him from multiple aches and illnesses.
"Oh my you've caught a bad cold, which must be really annoying for a puppy," the healer cooed and unobtrusively spelled a very light potion into his system. "I'm going to keep you here until tomorrow. You may sleep in front of the fireplace in my office, so that I can keep an eye on you and give you more potions later on,= she explained and told Mrs. Norris to come back for her friend in the morning.
HP
During the following weeks, Mrs. Norris showed Weety the complete castle. Knowing that the puppy was too small to run around for hours, she always led him to see one place, before she took him to a spot that was adequate for a cat and dog nap.
One day, they met another cat. =That's Felina, the cat professor,= Mrs. Norris informed Weety, pointing to the far end of the corridor, from where a tabby cat was approaching them in a fast speed. =She's a teacher, but she can transform into a cat.=
Weety observed how the two cats licked each other's fur for a moment, like Mrs. Norris always did with him.
=Since when do we have a dog in the castle?= Felina suddenly asked.
=Since a few weeks,= Mrs. Norris replied, gently licking Weety's ear. "His name is Weety, and he's still a puppy, but he's very cute.=
=That he is,= Felina agreed, gently accepting that Weety licked her cheek. =Do you belong to anyone?= she asked kindly, causing the puppy to give her a frightened look.
=I don't think so,= Mrs. Norris replied on his behalf. =He's been together with me most of the time, and when I was in Mr. Filch's quarters, he used to sleep on the window sill in the library. I think the fireplace in the Great Hall would be warmer and more comfortable for him, but since the headmaster doesn't know him and he's not anyone's familiar, I wasn't sure if it would be all right to take him into the Great Hall.=
=Ah, don't worry, I'll speak with Professor Dumbledore. We can just make him Hogwarts' dog, he doesn't have to be anyone's familiar, right sweetie?= Felina cooed, gently licking the dog's paw.
HP
A few days later, the headmaster introduced Weety to the whole school as Hogwarts' dog. "His name is Weety, and he is a magical hunting dog," he explained at the leaving feast before the beginning of the winter holidays. "As that he will protect our castle, and at the same time he is under our protection. Anyone who casts any spell at him or harms him in any other way will be severely punished and expelled from Hogwarts."
From that time onwards, Mrs. Norris and Weety often took the meals in the Great Hall, where the house-elves prepared an animals' corner at one side of the head table. Sometimes, even the students' familiars joined them, so that Mrs. Norris and Weety, who had become good friends, had much fun.
HP
Weety loved his life at Hogwarts. Sometimes, he remembered his mummy and daddy and missed them, but he thoroughly enjoyed himself. Most of the time, he roamed the castle together with Mrs. Norris, however, he also played with the students' familiar cats and even spent time in the four common rooms, where the students eagerly petted the clever dog.
Sometimes, there were students or teachers - like the Defence Against the Dark Arts professor who changed every year - whom Weety and Mrs. Norris did not like, and the two friends did their best to play pranks on them. Mrs. Norris especially liked to give annoying students away to Mr. Filch or the professors if they did anything forbidden.
HP
In one year, a pair of twins came to Hogwarts, and they were real pranksters. Weety and Mrs. Norris liked them, because they were always friendly and funny; however, when the twins one day emptied a complete bucket of ice water over Mrs. Norris, Weety chased them all over the castle up to Gryffindor tower, barking and growling loudly.
HP
It was almost two years after the incident with the twins that Weety suddenly heard his real name, which he had almost forgotten by now.
"I wonder if Harry Potter will show up tomorrow, considering that he did not reply to his Hogwarts letter," the headmaster said in a grave voice at dinner on the last day of the summer holidays.
'Who's Harry Potter?' Weety wondered. Somehow the name sounded familiar. However, he could not recall that it once had been his own name.
Exactly a day later, the welcoming feast took place, and the new first years were sorted. Mrs. Norris and Weety were observing the Sorting from the animals' spot next to the high table.
"Harry Potter," Professor McGonagall, of whom Weety knew that she was Felina in her human form, called out. However, there was no reply.
"Let's continue for now," the headmaster instructed her, however, when the Sorting was finished and he greeted the students, he asked if anyone by chance knew anything about Harry Potter.
"Yes!" two simultaneous voices could be heard from the Gryffindor table. Following everyone's gaze to the Gryffindor table, Weety saw that the funny twins had risen from their seats and were walking over to the head table.
"Harry Potter has been at Hogwarts..."
"... at least since our first year," the twins explained.
"We have a map that shows everyone at Hogwarts..."
"... and we've often seen his name on that."
"That's impossible," Dumbledore replied, sceptically.
"Messrs. Weasley, please show us that map," McGonagall demanded in a stern voice.
Weety could not see what happened, however, he heard someone whisper an incantation and hushed voices, before the headmaster suddenly spoke up in a louder voice.
"He's here, in the Great Hall, right next to us?" he asked, incredulously.
"Yes, right next to Mrs. Norris," McGonagall confirmed, letting out a long sigh. "It's Weety. He must be Harry," she explained, sounding horrified.
=Is that true?= Mrs. Norris whispered to him. =Are you an Animagus like Felina?=
=I don't know,= Weety replied, frightened.
He anxiously stared at Felina, who chose that instant to transform into her cat form and sit in front of him.
=Are you Harry?= she queried in a soft voice.
=I don't know,= Weety repeated. =I'm Weety.=
=All right Weety,= Felina said, reassuringly. =I'm going to take you to the headmaster's office for a moment. It's important that we find out if you're Harry or not. Afterwards, you may return here and enjoy the feast.=
=All right,= Weety agreed, letting out an anxious yowl, when Felina transformed back into her human form and picked him up.
HP
The professor carried Weety into the headmaster's office, where Dumbledore, Snape and Aunt Poppy were already waiting for them.
"Now Weety, Professor McGonagall will now cast a spell at you that will reveal if you're a real dog or an Animagus," the headmaster explained, patiently.
=All right,= Weety replied, giving Felina in her human form a frightened look, when she pointed her wand at him.
An instant later, he felt himself transform into a human boy. He was completely naked apart from a small baby blanket that was loosely draped over him. Frightened and terrified, he curled up as well as he could, hiding his face in his hands.
"Harry my boy," the headmaster spoke up, while his deputy hurriedly conjured clothes for the child.
Harry hesitantly glanced up into the old wizard's face. "I'm Weety," he replied in a small voice.
"Your real name is Harry Potter, child," Dumbledore disagreed and queried, "Can you tell us how you ended up at Hogwarts as a dog?"
"I don't know," Harry replied, anxiously averting his eyes.
"Albus, how would he know?" McGonagall spoke up on his behalf. "He must be a natural Animagus and probably apparated himself here, when he was very small. He doesn't even remember how he ended up here."
"Very well then, Severus will you please," the headmaster turned to the Potions Master, who gave him a sharp look.
"Look into my eyes," Snape instructed the boy and cast the Legilimency spell, searching for a baby's memory.
HP
The welcoming feast was still on its way, when the four adults returned with one Harry Potter and the Sorting Hat after a longer discussion about the question if an eleven-year-old without any primary school knowledge would be able to follow classes at Hogwarts.
"Tonight, we have one more student to sort," Dumbledore announced, and everyone stopped eating to observe where the Sorting Hat was going to sort Harry Potter.
'This is difficult,' the Hat told Harry, however, before the child could enquire about the reason, he shouted into the Hall, "I can't sort him into one house. He is Hogwarts' dog and belongs to all houses."
The End