Chapter 1
"What's wrong with me dad?" Such an innocent question with such a disturbing answer.
"Nothing, Al," Harry assured his son, smiling tightly. "Nothing at all." At least, to him, nothing was wrong. But to the world, it was a different story.
After the Battle of Hogwarts, the wizarding world became accepting of so many things. One of those things, however, was not the acceptance of creatures. Albus was born like a regular baby, at 2 p.m. in the afternoon. Harry was on baby duty the first night as his wife Ginny was getting the sleep she obviously deserved while Hermione and Ron watched James until they could go home.
He was admiring his baby boy, his that he helped create, when he realized something was wrong. Albus started trembling and shivering, little pants escaping his mouth as fur grew from his skin. Despite it happening so fast, he became transfixed on how his son was turning into a small...small...He wasn't entirely sure what his son became.
Glancing at his wife, who was still asleep, he quickly and quietly left the hospital, making sure no one saw him, and apparated to Hogwarts. Making his way to Headmistress McGonagall's office, he hid his son from sight.
McGonagall sat behind her desk, waiting for him as if she expected him, which was most likely the case.
"Minerva, help me!"
Hearing the desperation in his voice, she stood up and quickly made her way to him. Harry brought out the small animal for McGonagall's inspection. She raised an eyebrow, sensing nothing wrong with it until he spoke again.
"It's my son. I mean, he. He's my son." Harry stammered. "He was asleep when he turned...shifted into this. Just like Remus." Harry looked up to see Minerva staring at the boy.
"Enfield."
"What?"
"Enfield. He's an enfield." Minerva stated. She looked up to find a confused Harry. She explained, "The animal he shifted into is an Enfield."
"How is that possible? He wasn't even bitten!" Harry exclaimed.
Minerva sighed at Harry's ignorance of wizarding creatures. "You don't have to be bitten to be an enfield. Actually, you can't be bitten to be an enfield. It's only passed down through the genes. It's a very old and powerful gene."
Harry was shocked by this, yet grateful that it wasn't passable through bite. "What are they? What do they do?"
"Enfields?" At Harry's nod, she continued. "They are a very regal, deadly species. They have the head of a fox, the breast and forearms of an eagle, including their talons, the body of a lion and the hindquarters and tail of a wolf."
"So can they fly?" He stared in awe at Albus.
"Some do but not all. They do, however, possess the subtlety and cunning of a fox, the magnanimity and fortitude, along with honor, labor, industry and diligence, in great manners as the eagle, the bravery and courage of the lion and the fierceness of a wolf." Minerva watched in amusement as Harry rocked Albus close to his chest. "They make very powerful and cunning allies."
"I won't let him be used like that. Not like I was." He smiled at Albus before realizing what he said. He looked at Minerva. "What do I do?"
"Hide him."
"Hide him?!" Harry scoffed. "I can't hide him! He was just born."
"Just during the night when he changes."
"Yes, but what about—"
"This isn't like a werewolf or vampire, Harry." She interrupted, sternly. "This is a rare animal that no one has ever seen, only heard of. And if they catch wind that yourson is one, don't think for one second that they'll just ignore it. No, it's best if you hide him."
Harry nodded, on his way, stopping to hear Minerva tell him one last thing.
"Make sure no oneknows. Not even your friends, nor your wife or your children. No one must know of it."
"Why not family?"
Minerva smiled sadly at him. "The less people know of it, the less he'll be in danger. That includes your family."
"They will never tell," Harry resisted, turning around.
"It could be dangerous."
"We'll protect him!" he tried again.
"HARRY!" Harry looked at the Headmistress in shock at her words. "Harry," she calmly said, "I'm trying to help you."
"By keeping him away—," he stopped at her raised hand.
"I'm trying to help you," she continued, "from what happened to your parents."
After a few moments of silence, Harry stated, "You think someone, in MY family, will be a Peter Pettigrew?" At her raised eyebrow, he exclaimed, "That's ridiculous!"
"Is it?"
"Yes, it is! It truly is." Harry laughed at the thought.
"So, you're going to risk your son's life with the trust that no one in your family will tell anyone outside of family, even accidentally, because the thought of a Gryffindor betraying you is RIDICULOUS!" She emphasized. "You will risk his life because you think they will always stand by you, DESPITE the prejudice of creatures."
"Yes." Harry stood firm in front of the Headmistress.
"What happens when he can't control himself? What will you do then?"
"What do you mean?" Harry said smiling then frowned at her lack of response. "He won't attack anyone."
"Animals are, by instinct, feral, Harry, including enfields, no, especially enfields, and if they so much as think they are in danger, they will not hesitate to attack. Despite your son being human, when he turns into an enfield, he will have the instincts of that animal that he cannot control."
"And how do you know this," Harry sneered. "Isn't it something only people have heard of?"
Minerva sighed. Harry smirked at gaining victory.
"Your grandfather and great grandfather were both enfields." Harry was stunned by this piece of information. "I knew them both, and how great men they turned out to be." Harry stayed quiet as he saw tears in her eyes. "Do you know why I'm telling you this?"
"Yes?" Minerva sighed and Harry mentally kicked himself.
"Your grandfather had a twin, a boy named James, and he too was enfield, just like his father and brother." Harry looked down as he listened. "His father kept their secret hidden and told them to do the same. He warned them not to tell anyone. I only saw once, Harry" he glanced up at his name, "and that was his sorting." He swallowed.
"I'm guessing he told?"
"First night there. He didn't understand why he had to be quiet. The kids told their parents and they ordered him to be put down."
"Why?" Harry swallowed. "Why?!"
"Because they didn't understand him."
"That doesn't excuse it!" he cried.
"He was just a myth, Harry! A myth that no one knew about, so they thought him dangerous."
Harry sniffed.
"The reason why your family can't know, is because James' mother was a part of the crowd."
Harry gasped. "What? But didn't they tell her?"
"The father did, but from what I heard, she didn't react well and he had to obliviate her." Minerva watched as Harry breathed in a shaky sigh. "Promise me you won't tell."
"I promise," Harry agreed after a couple of minutes before going home. And every night, after everything that happened, he thinks of those words.
But it wasn't so easy for Albus. Because every night, his father would lock him in his room, making sure no one could go in and he couldn't come out. Ginny at first refused this, as she wanted to say good-night but Harry stood firm. He tried to stay with Albus the whole night, but after Ginny got on to him for spending too much time with him and not his other children, he only has a very limited time with Albus.
James had already grown resentment for Albus and Lily was somewhat in the disliking stage with Albus. Because their father never plays with them, or reads to them or anything. Only Albus. Even the Weasley's are starting to think he shows more favoritism to Albus. Hermione and Ron tried talking to him but he just pushed them away. When at family reunions, no one plays with Albus or talks to him, heck, even Mrs. Wesley doesn't let him eat a cookie before dinner like she let's all the other kids do.
And Harry thinks that if they knew, it wouldn't be so bad. In fact, he thought that they would understand and try to help Albus. Give him some comfort when he changes, self-confidence instead of bullying, make him believe he's normal instead of a freak. Yet he kept his word and didn't tell anyone, distancing him and Albus further away from his family.
"When can we go home?"
Harry looked at the four year old, then the house that he took them to. "This is home now." He glanced behind him, remembering his wife and the words she said. The reason why they're both in hiding. He glanced at Teddy, his godson, who got mixed up in all this, just after accidentally figuring out Al's secret. He thanks the heavens that Teddy's not frightened of him.
"Will we ever go back?" Teddy asked.
"One day," Harry answered, "when everything's alright." Then proceeded to walk to the house with the kids in tow.
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter. This was based on Shrek, Tangled and other fairy tales but they are not in it. Thank you for reading and review.