Harry wasn't sure if it was the bond or his expression, but halfway to the Headmaster's office Snape told the older wizard to put him down. Harry certainly wasn't comfortable, part of him worried that he'd be dropped suddenly, even though he knew that was his childhood with the Muggles talking, the other worried that he'd smother to death in the old mans beard and robes first. Dumbledore put him down cautiously; evidently worried that Harry would run off. The teen shook his fur out and trotted over to Snape's feet, sitting with a bit of a thump and looking up at his guardian.

"Do not make me chase you," Snape informed Harry, to which the teen mewed in what he hoped was a 'no sir' type of tone. He loped along at Snape's heels, able to keep up much more easily in this form even though it was smaller than his human body. The revolving stairs had him tucking his tail in nervously, but he was pleased to reach the Headmasters office and its many beams of sunlight. While Snape and Dumbledore argued about what to do next Harry selected a spot on the arm of a chair and settled into it with a contented purr. Sunlight in his fur felt good and he kneaded the fabric beneath his paws happily as he settled into a comfortable position to wait for the adults to stop arguing.

"Well you're certainly not in any distress," Snape muttered as he dropped himself into Harry's chair, "You wouldn't be purring if you were in pain."

Long fingers found their way into his fur and Harry closed his eyes in bliss, the purr growing strong enough to vibrate through his entire body. Dumbledore snickered, but Harry didn't care who laughed at him as long as those fingers didn't stop. He vaguely registered that the Headmaster was moving around, and there was a whoosh that spoke of the Floo, voices and then eventually another whoosh.

"Precisely what is the problem, Albus?" his Head of House's strict tones rang in the room and Harry peeled an eye open in time to see the Headmaster point most eloquently at the armchair where Harry was perched.

"Great galloping hippogriffs, is that Mr Potter?" McGonagall sounded astounded and she came over to peer at him through her glasses. Harry opened both eyes and lifted his head as Snape's fingers withdrew, butting his head in friendly hello against the Transfiguration Mistress' fingers.

"How on earth did you manage that, Harry?" she asked, shocked out of her usual formality. Harry shrugged as best he could, mildly annoyed that people kept asking him questions when he had a mouth that was shaped for meowing, not speaking.

"Did Mr Malfoy transform you, Harry?" Dumbledore asked, and Harry shook his head very slowly and carefully. He was certain that this change was a reaction of his own magic to thinking about the cats, being stuck in a space with an exit that only a cat could use and his affinity with the species in general. His father had learned to be an animagus, and Harry had always been interested by the idea, reading what little information he could find on the process with interest. Madam Pince always kept those books in particular under close watch, lest someone try to repeat the Marauders feat and become unregistered animagus.

"Albus, you know as much about Transfiguration as I do, precisely why am I here? As remarkable as this is…" McGonagall trailed off and her eyes widened, "Oh dear. Please tell me you didn't ask me here because you thought I would be able to communicate with Mr Potter in this form. How many times, Albus, cats don't have a secret language, neither do animagi!"

Harry stifled a small snicker in his paws and blinked innocently at his Headmaster when the man sent him a Look. McGonagall sighed and transformed with a small pop, leaping lightly up into Snape's lap, much to his displeasure. While his guardian muttered about cat hair on his robes and that he was a Potions Master not a pillow, Harry rubbed cheeks with his Head of House, purring once more. McGonagall sniffed him all over his head and then nuzzled him one more time before leaping lightly down, transforming back to her human self and hitting Snape with a cleaning charm and an acerbic look.

"Well, he can come down to my classroom and work on the change with me," McGonagall decided, "Best that we get him properly trained if this is an example of what his magic can do when he's merely thinking about something. I'll send the boy back, one way or another, at dinner time Severus. I've an engagement this evening, but if Harry is still not human I will return tomorrow morning."

Harry was still a cat at dinner time. He had followed his Head of House down the stairs from the Headmaster office, and then followed her cat form to her classroom, scampering along in her wake, fascinated by all the scents and textures he could now detect.

Although his Head of House had done her best with him, Harry had been unable to follow her lecture on the properties of the Animagus spell. They weren't due to learn some of that stuff for another year or so, and the books that McGonagall pulled out were not very clear either. Harry had no way to ask the questions he wanted when he got lost in the explanation, which made things harder.

"Never mind, young man," McGonagall said gently when the clock struck fifteen minutes to the dinner hour. She ran her fingers over his fur gently and chucked him under the chin, "We shall try again tomorrow. If all else fails there is a spell we can use to force you out of your form, though if we have to resort to that it is likely you'll never be able to transform again. I'm sure a night of rest is all you need for now, and I'll be here directly after breakfast. Would you like Severus to accompany you tomorrow?"

Harry nodded, wondering how she'd known. She smiled and rubbed his head affectionately, garnering a soft purr for her troubles. Harry couldn't help it, there was something about being stroked that made him very happy, which resulted in a purr.

"Very well, I'll let him know. Come along then, unless you'd rather I carried you?" she stepped back when Harry flattened his ears and tucked his tail in close. She nodded as if she understood that too and maybe she did, before leading the way back to the dungeons.

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