Hermione stared at the Daily Prophet in front of her, the front page largely taken up by a picture of Neville Longbottom with Dumbledore smiling and blushing furiously, under the picture a caption read "Neville Longbottom, savior of the wizarding world?"
She halfheartedly folded the paper in half, hiding the image from view. After Harry disappeared Dumbledore moved right on to Neville. Don't misunderstand Hermione knew that the headmaster did not actually care for Harry, that he only needed him to be the poster boy for the light, but it still hurt. After all Harry was her friend.
Beside her Ron was smiling and talking with Neville whom he was being paid to be friends with, she rolled her eyes, remembering how she was going to ask him out until she discovered that He was paid to be friends with Harry. Shivers went down her spine as she remembered Dumbledore's words when he found out. "It is a tragedy" he had said, "that so few are willing to befriend Harry. But the Light needs him, he is the face that every one can support, every one wants to help and protect… Surly Hermione you can understand… surely…" Hermione had stayed still and silent, sitting on the plush chair, unbelieving of the entire situation. "Where are your parents, again." The elderly wizard had suddenly asked. "In London, I believe… right miss. Granger?" she had only nodded weakly, "hmm I do hope they mind themselves… we would never want something to happen now would we, Miss. Granger?"
As she sat at the table in the great hall she visibly paled remembering the thinly veiled threat. Beside her Ron laughed uproariously, breaking her from her daze. She watched him for a minute, as he played his part in the new savior's life. Mentally she blanched.
As she was getting ready to stand a loud bang echoed across the hall. Heads whipped towards the now open doors as a man wearing a black cloak across his shoulders entered the room. His long raven black hair flowed form the loose ponytail he had it in. his features so sharp and pale emitted a beauty made of power and danger. Yet in all the unfamiliar there was a glimmer of recognition, but why she did not know.
The entire school watched as the figure made his way to the teacher's table. Hermione could not help but be caught by the way he moved, his steps light and quick, almost like he was dancing. Finally he reached his destination in front of he headmaster and there he knelt as the cloak flew from his shoulders, Hermione watched expecting the gorgeous thing to fall gently, like the so many feathers that it was made of, to the ground. But it never did. It was not a cloak, it- they were wings. Large as she was tall and black as a moonless night they stretched away from the body of the man before them. She noticed rather embarrassingly that the man was shirtless beneath the wings and was well muscled.
At the table Dumbledore watched as the man with obvious fey blood drew near, never making eye contact but not exactly avoiding it. He was mesmerized by the green eyes that held red specs in their deep color. And when he was finally before him, kneeling, he gasped as the large wings released his shirtless form.
"I have returned home," finally the figure looked up making eye contact with the old wizard. "and it is good to be back."
Only a single word came from the Headmaster and it echoed around the silenced students, "Harry?"
Harry smiled, enjoying the fact that no one even his headmaster had realized who he was. Slowly his tail uncurled from his leg, as was it's habit to do, and lay gently on the ground as he stood, twitching slightly communicating his happiness.
"what has happened to you?" the dumbfounded headmaster asked, Harry smirked. "I only found my self… and a few others."
With a low howl two gigantic wolves entered the room one was pure white, as if the moon decided it preferred the fur of the wolf to the sky above, the other was as black as death, it's golden eyes the only light that seemed to escape the dark form. Together they darted to their friend's side, seeming to be as happy as he was in the old school.
Hermione watched in wonder as her friend whom seconds before she had thought dead talked avidly with the headmaster. Though she could not hear the words she could tell that Harry was happy to be back and quite honestly she was happy to see him to.
She watched as suddenly Snape stood arguing with something the headmaster had said, gesturing to the two wolves at Harry's feet. She watched as the long black tail, witch had reveled its self moments before, began a slow but dangerous arc across the ground behind him. Eventually slowing as Severus was forced to back down. Eventually the conversation ended with Harry bowing respectively and heading to the Gryffindor table. Spying his friends (sort of) Harry smiled a large smile that dazzled all who happened to see.
"Hello Hermione" he said quietly sitting down in his old spot between Ron and her. "Ron." Beneath him the soft tick of claws sounded for a moment before the two wolves settled themselves.
"Harry? What happened?" said Hermione in an agitated whisper. "You have been gone for 2 years!"
He smiled again at her and said quietly "not here, ok, Ill fill you and Ron in when we're in the tower. Incidentally your classes are canceled for the day." He finished nonchalantly grabbing some eggs and sausage.
Hermione stared at Harry in disbelief. "HOW did you convince Dumbledore to let that one go. ?"
"Easy, I tell you guys everything" once again he flashed that winning smile toward her and she felt her breath catch in her throat.
it was not too much longer before the three of them were all in Gryffindor tower waiting for the last first year to exit.
finally after a lot of small talk the questions could begin.
"ok, so what the bloody hell happened to you?" Ron blurted as soon as the portal closed.
"very eloquent Ron." Harry laughed " Over the summer before I left my uncle wound up being more violent than usual... he was about to kill me when everything went dark"
The two teens looked at the friend that had changed so much over such a small amount of time. "when I woke up I was in the middle of this clearing wings sprouting from my back and a tail springing from my... well... then a male fey found me and told me what I was."
"and what exactly is that?" Ron asked coolly his body turned toward Harry but his face turned half away.
"I'm part Were, part Vampyer, and Part Darkling on my father's side and I have fey on mum's"
suddenly Hermione thought, Harry's porcelain teeth seemed a little more threatening.
"as far as where I have been, I was being trained. unlocking the rest of my ability's beside the wings and tail... learning to control certain things..."
beside her Ron seemed to slide a little farther from Harry than one could say was kosher. Harry eyed the movement but said nothing.
The day continued in much the same way, Harry being friendly and inviteing. Once at Hermione's proding Harry explained that the wolves were his familiars. About how they could sense echother's fealings and even speek to eachother. Hermione looked between the white one, Apollo and the black one, Midnight, in awe. too soon the day came to an end.
"all right every one, it's time for bed..." they all stood from their seats in the comon room and said their good nights before heading up. however it did not escape Harry's notice that Ron seemed to hang back. 'Pathetic.'
Ron paced the floor of Dumbledore's office as Dumbledore looked on the perpetual twinkle having actualy vacated his eyes, with out it they seemed cold and hard as he considered his next move.
"your certain?"
"yes, Harry would never lie to me. He is not natural master. not. at. all."
"Then, Ronald. we have a problem"
