Harry Potter and the Godric's Curse

Harry Potter has many problems. He wears glasses, he's hunted by Voldemort, he has bad grades, and he has more enemies than he should want. Oh, yeah…that, and Neville has misaimed yet another spell…at him. In the time of Chamber of Secrets. Definitely not compatible with the books.

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Chapter Ten

I'm skipping the holidays…nothing eventful happened. So, let's just head onto chapter TEN, and skip chapter nine!

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After a quick departure from the Burrow, the Weasleys and Harry had headed for King's Cross, and Platform 9 ¾ where they would board the Hogwarts Express and head off back to school. They Weasleys had arrived in their Ford Angelina quickly, and the children and Harry quickly headed onto the platform. Harry, now being a part of their family, was bid farewell from Mr. and Mrs. Weasley along with the others. The children grabbed their trunks and handed them to the train workers, and then they separated. Percy went with the Prefects in their compartment, and Fred and George headed off with Lee Jordan, who had received some Muggle pranking supplies as a Christmas gift.

Meanwhile, Harry, Ginny, and Ron all stayed together, hoping to find Hermione, Neville, and Luna.

Over the train ride to the Burrow, Luna had become a friend of Hermione, Ron, Neville, and Harry. She and Ginny were in the same year, but different Houses. Her father worked for the Quibbler, an unpopular wizarding magazine telling tales of things that were non-existent. Yet Luna believed in faith and luck, and believed everything in the magazine. Meanwhile, Hermione couldn't stand it.

The trio made their way through the sea of students in the thin hallway. Harry lifted his head and opened his mouth, trying to scent his friends who were either on the train of searching for them. Harry stopped suddenly.

"Hey," Harry said. "Can you see up ahead?"

"Yeah," Ron said. "Who am I looking for?"

"Um…Hermione…yeah, she's near."

"Ron, Ginny, Harry!"

"Found her."

Hermione pushed her way through the crowd to greet them. "How were your holidays?' she asked. "Happy New Year! Now come on, Neville and I were waiting for you three. Luna still isn't here."

As quickly as she'd spoken, Hermione turned away and began leading them to the compartment. Ginny and Ron exchanged amused glances, and Harry curled his tail with a laugh. Then he bounded forward, following her quickly. Ron and Ginny took after him and kept their heads high to follow her.

Hermione stopped and turned to her left. She slid the door open. "Neville, I found them!" she announced. She stepped inside. "Come on in!"

Harry padded into the compartment. "Hey, Neville," he said. Ron and Ginny walked into the room slowly after.

"Hi Harry," Neville said. "Hi, Ron, Ginny."

"How were your holidays?" Harry asked.

Neville grinned. "Great!" he said. "I have a new quill now, and I got to see the family. It was fun!"

"Cool," Ron said. "We just had a normal holiday."

"Normal?" Neville scoffed. "You brought Harry with you, didn't you? That's not particularly normal, you know. No offense, Harry."

"None taken," Harry nodded. "It was fun, though. The Weasleys are good with holidays, I guess. They always do a good job."

Ginny nodded. "Mum plans it all, so you know it'll be a lot to work with," she explained. "How were your holidays, Hermione?"

Hermione opened her mouth to speak, but the doors slid open. Luna Lovegood stepped inside and smiled.

"Hello everyone," she said in her misty voice. She smiled again. "How were your holidays?"

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"Echo!"

Harry leaped up through the rafters. He shook the snow off of his paws and then looked up to see Midnight and Sunny rushing over to see him. He was now Echo once more.

"You're back!" Sunny yowled, barreling him over. She pinned him to the ground, purring. "Welcome back!"

Echo closed his eyes and purred. "Nice to see you, too!" he meowed. He opened his eyes to see the dark bluish-black tom padding over calmly. "Hi, Midnight!"

"Hey, Echo!" Midnight greeted. "How were the humans?"

"Oh, fun," Echo meowed. "I went with Ron, Ginny, Percy, Fred, and George. Remember? Fred and George are like Gust and Owl?"

"Oh, that's right!" Midnight nodded. "Did they do anything funny?"

Echo purred in amusement. "Did they do anything funny?" he repeated. "They're Fred and George! Of course they did!" He looked up at Sunny, who still had him pinned to the floor. "Will you get off of me?!" he hissed playfully. Sunny batted his face with her paw and then stepped off of him.

"Come on, we have to tell Rose that you're back!" she meowed. Without another word, Sunny took off running. Midnight and Echo nodded at each other, and then followed quickly behind.

They padded over to the center of camp, where Rose and Aqua were talking to each other and mentioning the kits. Aqua turned her head and purred. "Echo, you're back!" she meowed warmly. "Leo hasn't stopped asking where you've gone since you left! He'll be glad to know you're here again!"

Echo dipped his head. "Thanks, Aqua," he mewed. "I didn't know I was actually missed."

"If course!" Aqua meowed. "You're a close friend of my kits. Of course we'll miss you!" Aqua dipped her head to Rose. "I'm going to go and see my kits now. Please excuse me." Then she slipped away and padded by Echo. "Welcome back," she murmured. "I've missed you." She padded away, leaving Echo, Midnight, and Sunny with Rose.

Rose curled her tail around her paws. "So," she meowed. "You've returned."

"As I said I would," Echo reminded her. "I wouldn't leave."

"I know," Rose meowed simply. "I've heard your thoughts…and seen your memories. That was quite the train ride."

Echo's green eyes widened with fear and embarrassment. "You…you saw?!" he gasped. Midnight and Sunny fixed strange looks upon him.

"What's so special about a train?" Sunny asked. "It's just a giant moving block."

"No," Rose meowed. "It's the events within the ride that are interesting…" Rose closed her eyes and lowered her head. "That was quite a stunt you pulled."

"Well…I would have missed the train otherwise," Echo meowed, fidgeting his paws.

"And you would have been forced to stay here…with us," Rose meowed. She narrowed her eyes. Echo gulped. Sunny and Midnight watched him suspiciously.

"Well…I just…" Echo stammered. He looked away, sighing.

"What?" Rose meowed. "I know what you're thinking. But are you brave enough to say it?" Her green eyes were staring at him with intensity. "Well?"

Echo closed his eyes and turned away. "I want to be a human again," he growled through clenched teeth. He heard Sunny and Midnight gasp beside him. "I want to be friends with my human friends, and not be stared at like I'm weak and small. Is that what you want me to say? That I want to be normal again?" He shook his head.

Rose stood to her paws. "You say you want to be normal," she meowed calmly. "What does normal mean?" Harry looked up to face her. He shrank back a little at her ferocious look.

"I don't want to be stared at like something stupid or small," Harry meowed. "If I were human, I wouldn't be treated like a cat. I'd be treated like me."

Rose's fur bristled angrily. "You are a cat!" she snarled. "You will be looked at as a cat; you are one! You must remember that!"

"But I don't want to be a cat!" Harry growled. "I'm like this because it was an accident! No one meant for it to happen!"

"You don't want to stay?" Rose asked, with a hint of a growl.

"I do…but I wish I could do both!" Harry meowed. "I can't stay here without being an outcast with my human friends, but I can't just stay there!"

"You can't live with a paw in each world," Rose meowed coldly. Echo flinched at Tiger's former-used-words. "I'm not forcing you to choose. But you must figure where your loyalties lie. Now go. I don't have any more to say to you."

Echo backed away slowly. "I'll see you guys later," he mumbled to Sunny and Midnight. "Bye." He whipped around and went off running. He closed his eyes tight and ran through the camp, fleeing.

I have Transfiguration tomorrow, Echo thought. He leaped down the rafter, changing his name back to Harry. I'll go to that…and then I'll head back here…and then I'll just continue as usual.

I'm off to a bad start.

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Please review!

Where do you think Harry's loyalties should lie? With the cats, or the wizarding world? Please add this in your review.