#11 – Animal


Sanctuary was closed, the quads mopping the floor as Aimee cleaned the counter. Or, at least that was what she was supposed to be doing; instead she was having a very amusing conversation with a drunk Harry who had commandeered Ash's lap to sit on.

Ash wasn't complaining. Not even when he had to put his hands on Harry's hips to stabilise him so he wouldn't end up on the floor.

"So," Harry asked, leaning forward in a way that made Ash close his eyes and Aimee smirk, "you're all animals?"

"Yeah."

Harry slumped back into Ash's chest and looked Aimee over with narrowed eyes. "Really? What do you turn into?"

"I'm a bear." She answered, swiping the counter with the cloth to keep up the pretence of working.

Harry's eyes bugged out of their sockets as he choked. "A bear!" he said loudly, causing the quads to look over and scowl at their sister who was obviously not cleaning. She smiled sheepishly at them and ran the cloth over the bar again.

"I know it sounds a bit farfetched that we can turn into animals-" she started, but was cut off by Harry's scoff.

"It's not the animal thing, it's the bear thing. I would never have pegged you as a bear."

Aimee blinked. "You're not weirded out by the fact that I turn into a bear?"

"No?"

"Why not?"

"Because I can turn into an animal too?"

Aimee dropped the cleaning cloth on the bar and leaned forwards to run her gaze over Harry. "You? You can turn into an animal? You're not a were-hunter!"

Harry cocked his head to the side. "You don't have to be a were-hunter to turn into an animal – it's a skill. I'm an animagus."

"Oh, I have got to see this." Aimee breathed. "Go on, what can you turn into?"

"Probably something harmless." Remi said as he propped his mop against the bar. "Look at him."

Harry bristled. "I am not harmless! I'm ferocious!"

"Yeah, I'm not gonna believe that until I see it." Remi rolled his eyes.

"I have teeth! And claws!"

"So does a hamster." Remi shot back with a smirk.

Harry's jaw dropped. By this time the rest of the quads had also given up all pretence of working and had made their way over to the bar as well.

"Remi," Cherif chastised, "stop taunting the small human."

"A…a hamster!" Harry choked, beyond offended. "I am not a hamster! I eat hamsters for breakfast!"

Ash had to bury his face in Harry's hair to hide his grin as he repressed laughter. It didn't seem to work as Harry spun around and angrily poked him in the chest. "You! I know you're laughing!"

It took all of Ash's power for him to keep a straight face as he looked down at the man in his lap. Harry looked at him suspiciously for a moment and Ash was just about to get away with it when he relaxed and a chuckle bubbled up. He clapped his hand over his mouth but the damage was done and Harry was staring at him with a betrayed look on his face.

"Harry," he tried, "I am so sorry." Another laugh bubbled up and he quickly had to turn his head so Harry wouldn't catch the huge grin threatening to crack his face in half.

"Oh, that is it." Harry huffed and closed his eyes, concentrating.

Ash was about to ask what he was doing when he found himself with a lap full of black fur. His eyes widened as he stared in surprise at the kitten which mewled at him before turning on his thigh, shaking it's rump and sprang onto the counter. It didn't quite make it and was left clawing it's way up, hissing quietly as it's tail lashed back and forth.

After two near-misses it managed to get all it's feet underneath it and it sat down, staring imperiously at the five bears and one god that was staring back at it in shock.

"Harry?" Ash asked.

The kitten sniffed and licked it's paw.

"Oh my God…" Aimee breathed.

"He's adorable." Remi said in shock, glaring at the weird looks his siblings gave him.

Harry hissed at him in anger, ears pinned back and puffing up until he was twice his size.

"So harmless and cute..." Remi cooed mockingly, reaching forward to pet it.

Harry swiped at his hand. Remi pulled back with a yelp, cradling his new injury close to his chest.

"Remi." Ash said over the top of the still hissing kitten, "Don't taunt him."

"Yeah, Remi." Aimee grinned, "I think he proved you wrong anyway."

Remi scowled as he licked the beads of blood from his fingers.

Ash reached forward to the little ball of fur. Harry pounced on his hand, claws latching into the back and teeth gnawing on a finger as his tail wrapped around Ash's wrist.

Ash smiled as he pulled his hand back, kitten still attached. It didn't hurt. It seemed that Harry had just wanted to make a point as not two seconds later he had stopped biting and was now licking the shallow indentations that he had made with his teeth apologetically.

Ash couldn't resist and started to scratch behind Harry's ear, being rewarded with a puddle of black, purring goo in his palm.

"He's adorable." Aimee whispered, barely heard of the volume of purrs.

"Yeah." Ash agreed as he petted the small form, taking an almost childish delight in the action.

Aimee's lips twitched, "Maybe you should take him home. I don't think he's going to change back any time soon." She said.

Ash looked up and blinked in surprise. "Oh, yeah. He was pretty far gone, he might be too drunk to remember how to."

Aimee smiled in amusement. "That wasn't what I meant."

Ash shot her a questioning glance as he stood but she only shook her head and picked up the cleaning cloth again, getting back to work.

Shrugging, Ash disappeared Harry and himself back home.


Sorry for the wait. I started this chapter three times before I managed to write this and I'm still not happy with it. There's probably some really embarrassing excuses for English grammar that I've overlooked.

Also, I know his animagus form is a little clichéd but I really like kitten!Harry – so I put it in. Next chapter should be out soon, just battling with Blackbird and That's Life :)