The Natural Animagus

by wsbenge

Harry is sent to the Dursleys, but due to a natural proclivity for cat animagus transformations, goes to live with the kneazles at Mrs. Figg's a few weeks before he is 2 years old. He spends years as a kneazle, before his association with Ginny Weasley h

14. Chapter 14 Dementors should have left

Chapter 14 Dementors Should Have Left

Harry didn't expect Xavier to be home when he arrived at the Figg compound. He would see him at breakfast. Harry dropped his stuff in his room, and went out to the barn. A few seconds later, a kneazle shot out the back. There wasn't any snow on the ground here, and Harry went out on the grounds to shake off the train ride. He found a brother and sister out on a perimeter run, and joined them. It did feel good to be home. He stayed with them until they finished their circuit. The family was denning in the back barn. There was nothing in the human world quite like this. He mused over what it would have been like if he hadn't went to Hogwarts. He liked Hogwarts, learning magic, and the human interaction. He really did, but this was immersion in comfortable belonging. He would always enjoy coming home. The human world was different than the kneazle world, but not better.

He met with Xavier after breakfast. Xavier didn't have anywhere he needed to go, so they talked for a couple hours.

"Dementors have attacked me twice," said Harry. "I don't want to give them another chance at me, or my friends. I don't like getting close to them, but I may kill a few more of them anyway. They are the worst sort of creature I have seen. They have only the simplest of emotions, and they always search to feed. I have watched them."

"I don't know anyone who likes them," said Xavier, "but the ministry uses those creatures to hunt and punish criminals. They have been kept on Azkaban Island for so long, people have forgotten what they really are. The Ministry won't like losing their pets."

"Do you think I should leave them alone?" asked Harry.

"I don't like Dementors either, Harry," said Xavier, "They are very dangerous. If you do start destroying them, it will be like kicking a Ministry hornet's nest. People won't be able to count the aurors and hit wizards in Hogsmeade. You won't get many shots at them, before it is entirely too dangerous to attempt. Is it worth it?"

"Have you ever been around them? asked Harry. "You wouldn't let them stay around here, would you? I can't think of a single good reason for them to exist. I can hunt them."

The Figg family partriarch was a warrior, from a long line of warriors. Xavier had never grew tired of his fascination with the English long bow, and introduced it to all of his children and grandchildren at one time or another. This was a perfect time to involve Harry, just a few months earlier than he planned.

"Harry," he said. "Let me tell you a story. Robin Hood, the outlaw, became an English legend with the long bow, with his accuracy at long distance archery. In his day, the bow was the most powerful, long distance weapon available for personal use. Hood's true genius was his ability to lead a small group of men to practically paralyze the corrupt local government. He used stealth tactics to strike fast, and disappear, robbing the corrupt nobility and their stewards. Another stroke of genius was using a large part of the spoils to keep local people fed, giving him a loyal support group. He became known as the highwayman who robs from the rich, and gives to the poor."

"Robin Hood was most likely an untrained, muggleborn wizard, using his innate magical ability to aim his bow. His father, a small land owner who worked the land himself, was cheated and murdered by the local baron. Hood became a living nightmare for the baron, costing the baron much more than he ever took by cheating Hood's father. A long distance arrow eventually killed the baron. The Sheriff of Nottingham was a bitter enemy of Hood. Many of the Sheriff's men died chasing Hood and his men into the forest. People learned very quickly not to chase head long into Sherwood Forest."

"I know I am long winded, and Robin Hood was a boyhood hero of mine. The reason I bring up Robin Hood, is his use of the English long bow. It would be perfect to hit the dementors at longer distances. All you have to do is soak the arrow head in some dementor killing basilisk venom. Wizards can easily protect themselves from arrows, if they are in a battlefield situation. A dementor, by itself, will have no protection. They normally don't need any."

Harry spoke up. "I wanted to talk to you about a different way of killing dementors. I want a way to kill them without getting so close to them. They hunt in a pack, and it looks like they are hunting ... me."

"This will do the job," said Xavier. "There is a variation I want to show you, once I teach you the basics of the bow."

"Does it take long to learn?" asked Harry.

"Let's go out an shoot a few," said Xavier. "There is nothing more English, than the long bow. Basic use is easy. You can spend a lifetime perfecting the equipment. There was a time when wizards used them as much as the muggles, before the secrecy act. The average man carried a sword also, and knew how to use it. Walking without a dagger was like going out naked. Wizard made weapons were vastly superior to muggle made weapons. Goblin made weapons are second to none. The wizarding world drifted away from weapons after the secrecy statutes. Long periods of peace have made wizards complacent, and dependent on their wands."

"Hagrid uses a crossbow," said Harry. "It is huge."

"I've seen Hagrid's bow," said Xavier. "The size of Hagrid's fingers makes handling a longbow a bit awkward. Sizing a long bow and arrows for him would have arrows the size of broom sticks. Hagrid is as strong as an ox, so loading the crossbow isn't a problem for him. His bow is actually small, for his size. The crossbow was invented so weaker individuals could use a powerful bow. Many crossbows have loading winches. A person doesn't need to practice as often to shoot a crossbow reliably. An experienced bowman can shoot a longbow many times before a cross bow is reloaded. Long bows made for the battlefield have a pull of as much as 200 pounds, and the average Englishman has to train for a long time to use it."

Xavier had a quiver of target arrows, and he trained Harry in the use of the longbow. Harry picked it up rapidly. Xavier had a charmed quiver that would cause all the target arrows to return to it if he touched his wand to a particular button, and said, "Repeto." They emptied the quiver several times.

"Now that you have the basics," said Xavier, "I am going to show you some tricks. Watch."

Xavier put a target arrow on the ground, and held his wand over it. He cast several spells quietly. "Subiungo." The arrow snapped up parallel to the wand, and about two inches below it. "Intendo. Rego. Vado." The arrow flew straight to the center of the target. He repeated the sequence three times. Four arrows were crowded around the center of the target.

"Sam showed me that many years ago," explained Xavier. "As with all magic, it takes a bit of practice to associate your magic with a key word. Subiungo attaches the arrow to your launching point. The launching point can be anywhere you are comfortable with. Intendo aims the arrow where you want it to go. I need to see the target to use it well. Rego sets up the guide path, so wind doesn't affect the arrow's flight as much. You can launch without rego. Hell, all you have to use is vado, and the arrow flies however it flies. I imagine a tube for the arrow to fly through. I don't have to have a straight line of sight, using rego. Turns can't be too tight. Vado launches the arrow to the target. I can vary the force I use to launch it. Nice trick, developed by assassins. I would like you to get good with it. Want to try? Amazingly enough, this isn't complex magic."

They worked with the arrows for another hour, and headed back in to the training room. Harry wasn't able to use the arrow spells yet. Xavier opened up a case, and put it on the table.

"I want you to be able to transfigure your own arrows. This one is six inches long, with an armor piercing, four sided solid metal head. This one I call the flying ice pick, for obvious reasons. This is the dart. Here is the razor blade. This is the ripper. I worked on these for a while. Here in the case is a copy of my notes, with several transfiguration spells. You can add your own, of course."

He opened up another case. "Target practice again." Xavier had miniature arrows that looked more like darts. He set up a target on the far wall. "Subiungo. Intendo. Rego. Vado." The dart hit the target. He touched his wand to a button in the case. "Repeto. I want you to take both of these with you. I have several. I made these last month, with you in mind. I was going to show you next summer, but you might be able to use them earlier. Make yourself a suitable small arrow with basilisk venom. I imagine you can obtain some, right? I have a section of books in my den on arrow design. Feel free to browse through them. Nice weapon, the arrow. Last, but not least, see if you can make your incantations as quiet as possible, if not completely silent. Better yet, since you are learning wandless magic, make them wordless and wandless from the start. Take your time. Experiment. Stealth could be the name of the game, with these tools. Don't forget to play with the long bow." Xavier smiled, and walked out the door.

Harry started working with the minatures. It was obvious it was going to take him a while to even use them, let alone get good with the miniature arrows. A couple hours disappeared before he realized it. He put his cases away, and went to the Burrow. He climbed the tree, and waited at the window sill. Ginny let him in.

"Hi Harry," said Ginny. "How is your holiday going?"

"Pretty good," replied Harry. "It is good to be home. I get so busy at school, I forget what it is like to be here."

"I worked with Ron some last night, for his cat form. He just has his head to go, and I think he is a bit afraid to make the final plunge. I can understand that. He isn't actually trying to make the full change here at home. We don't dare get on the wrong side of Mum. She wouldn't hurt us, or anything. She just worries about us. I think I worry about hurting her feelings more that I worry about her hurting mine. Ron and I drifted apart after he went to school a couple years ago, and this gives us something in common again, other than flying. I don't care who did what, in quidditch. I just like to fly. Ron reads quidditch books, if he reads anything. Exploding snap is boring, and he consistantly beats me in chess."

"Xavier taught me archery today," said Harry. "He has made quite a hobby of it. It will take me a while to get any good with it. It looks interesting."

"Why?" asked Ginny. "You don't need it for hunting."

"Dementors might make interesting targets," said Harry.

"I see your point," said Ginny. "I thought they had us again that day in the Forest. You made killing them look easy."

"It was," said Harry. "It looks like all I need is the right weapon. I had no idea a basilisk fang would be so effective. I didn't think we could run away from them, the way they were following us. I didn't really want to touch them with my teeth and claws. Their effect is supposed to be worse when touching them, so I tried the fang. Works great. I don't go anywhere without one, now."

"Where did you find those?" asked Ginny. "I think I've been most everywhere you have been."

"Deep in the lower sections, near the dungeons," replied Harry. "A basilisk shed its skin down there some time ago, with a few fangs as well. I store them in discarded dragon hide gloves. They are very poisenous. The tough basilisk skin looks like it would make good leather goods. It doesn't rot. It looks like it was just shed. The skins are a bit dusty though."

"I wonder if the basilisk is still around," said Ginny. "That would be an awful surprise. I think I would rather see a dementor."

"It's still deep in the castle," said Harry, remembering how nervous she was the first time. "I would have taken you to see him, but I know how uncomfortable you would be."

"I could handle it, Harry," said Ginny. "I'm not a child." Harry could sense her getting upset.

"Ginny," said Harry. "I am a kneazle. I know how you would feel around a creature you can't talk to. Especially one with a reputation for causing instant death. This one protects the school."

"I don't like you not telling me," said Ginny. "I am not the baby my brothers think I am."

"Would you hang around dementors and acromantulas, if you thought they were safe?" asked Harry.

"No," said Ginny vehemently. "Those things make my skin crawl."

"Would a basilisk make your skin crawl?" asked Harry.

"Probably," said Ginny, a little sheepishly. "I just don't want you to treat me like my brothers. They think I am still six years old."

"Kneazles always support each other," said Harry. "I wouldn't expect any less from you."

"Thank you, Harry," said Ginny. "I will pass, for now, on meeting the basilisk. What are you doing for Christmas?"

"Nothing, really," replied Harry. "It is just another day, for me. I usually get gift cards for my friends. I know it is an important holiday for many people."

"It has always been a big deal, for us," said Ginny. "Mum and Dad take any excuse for a big meal, and get together. They splurge a bit on Christmas for gifts. You could come over, you know."

"You know I have been here for Christmas before," said Harry.

"You were Green Eyes then, silly," said Ginny.

"Still am," said Harry grinning. "Let's go see the twins." Harry kneazled.

Ginny walked downstairs, and knocked on their door. A couple minutes later, it opened.

"Ah, ickle Gin-Gin and Green Eyes," said George. "Come in, come in." Fred locked the door behind them.

"We've been talking to Atch and Micha," said Fred. "All that chattering they do makes sense, with ears that have a different range of sounds. Atch doesn't mind being called Boy. The name Girl doesn't hurt Mitcha's feelings either. They were raised in captivity. They detest the compulsion charms, so we got rid of them. They trust us, since we have been working on the transformation."

"We got rid of the silly clothes we had on them," said George. "Thanks for helping us with the first ones, Ginny. We can transform now with our robes, and we are dressing them in wizard clothing now, for the most part. Just not quite as long. I don't think most people will be able to tell us apart from them, anyway."

"We wanted to be spider monkeys for pranking purposes. Our form quest pushed us toward these little guys," said Fred, "but we didn't dream we would get so attached to them. We hoped we could train them to help with pranks, and now I know they can prank. Thanks for helping us with the transformation. If you ever need anything, let us know."

"How is Ron coming along on his form?" asked George. "He went over to Longbottom's today. Old lady Longbottom won't care if they do magic. She was so afraid Neville was a squib for the longest time."

"Ron is close to finished," said Ginny. "This has his nose out of quidditch books."

"What about the rules for underage magic?" asked Harry. "Won't they get in trouble if they practice?"

"Nope," said Fred. "Ministry doesn't care about wizarding households, unless the underage wizard gets in trouble. That is really only watched for the secrecy act. Sucks to be muggleborn. We would have never learned anything, otherwise. Mum doesn't mind potions, so much. We use minor wand work, at best."

"Mum is quite the stickler for no magic," said Ginny. "I think she worries too much. With prats like you boys, it's no wonder she worries. Bill and Charlie gave her fits. It's no wonder Bill is a curse breaker, and Charlie chases dragons. She got a bit of a break with Percy, but then you guys showed up."

"Ron's only problem is that he thinks with his mouth," said Fred. "The word impulsive was designed for Ron. If it wasn't for Harry and Hermione, the lazy git probably wouldn't get any OWLs, not that we are planning many. We only need a couple, to use our wands at the end of this year. We just won't be considered adults. We will get OWLs in potions, charms, and transfiguration. I can't believe Ron stayed with the animagus transformation. It takes continued effort."

"Don't take the mickey out of him, guys, he's not that bad," said Ginny. "This means a lot to him. He doesn't know you are animagi. Do you think Bill was an animagus?"

"No idea," said George. "If he is, he hid it well."

"I'm going to head toward home," said Harry. "I didn't plan on staying more than an hour. The holiday won't last long." Ginny and Green Eyes headed back to her room. Harry jumped into the tree, and was gone.

Harry spent the 'lions share' of his holiday kneazled. He showed up for breakfast, and spent about four hours in the training room split between shooting the darts, some spells at targets, or some field time with the long bow. Nearly all of the time at the Burrow was spent as Green Eyes. Harry basked in the relaxation of this holiday. Sirius visited a few times, and spent his time Padfooting. Harry had enjoyed his previous Christmas kneazling. The only negative had been that Dobby had forced him to stay kneazled. Harry did not like being forced, anytime. The Figgs had several wooded acres, and Sirius enjoyed himself immensely.

A couple days before Harry went back to school, Xavier gave him a political lesson. Xavier went out in the field to shoot a few quivers of arrows with the long bow. While they were shooting, Xavier bent his ear.

Xavier spoke, as he shot. "Harry, I told you a bit about my boyhood hero, Robin Hood. Strangely enough, Voldemort uses the same methods Robin did. Strike fast, and disappear. It works great, with a little support. Voldemort has the support of power mad, so-called pure blood old families. The difference between the two was motive, and who we would rather see succeed. Robin Hood went down in history as a hero, and Voldemort is marsh scum. They were both terrorists, and believe me, Robin Hood terrorized the corrupt baronage. Robin probably could have assumed a lot of political power, but he chose not to, for what ever reason. He had the leadership ability. It doesn't matter, really, whether history reports a person as hero, or villain. What does matter is what is happening today, and whom we want in control. Robin Hood took apparently took pleasure in bedeviling his personal nemeses, and stopped at that. He didn't take a position of power in the feudal system of the day."

Xavier continued, "A conflict of any magnitude usually has two supporting components. The first is an emotional component to justify conflict. Robin was satisfied with vengence. The second is a foundational monetary component. One can always follow the money to key players. Robin affected the local monetary supply, somewhat whimsically. Those in power control money, or they don't keep power."

He finished with this, "As head of House Potter, you need to be aware of this. If you do not get involved, someone else will. The ruling families let Grindewald and Voldemort come to power. The families were manipulated by their vanity. Some of the families didn't have a suitable successor, who had the talent, or desire to get involved. You have money and political position. Do you have the talent and desire? You will get to find out. You have four more years until you can assume control."

Harry replied, shooting three arrows as quickly as he could, hitting the body of the four foot target at fifty yards. "I don't really know what I want to do about House Potter. I want to be a healer."

Xavier laughed, "You're not supposed to know now, Harry. You are thirteen. You just need to be aware of your options. A lot can happen in four years. I am just going to feed you information." Xavier was grouping his arrows a lot tighter in his target.

Harry asked, " What do you think about me killing a few more dementors? I have a strong desire to get rid of them."

Xavier replied, "It would draw a lot of attention. No matter what, you will stir up a hornet's nest when they disappear in a cloud of smoke. I gave you the equipment and information to protect yourself. What you do with it is your choice. I have no love for dementors. I would like to see them all gone. Don't get hurt, and don't get caught. I have no doubt you know how to hunt, and remain unseen. That may be the kneazles' greatest skill. The ministry would proverbially draw and quarter you, and anyone with you. Use all of your skill to stay hidden."

"If dementors come for me," Harry said, " they die. They might die anyway." Harry and Xavier picked up their equipment, and walked back in.

Harry boarded the train the next day. It had been a very fast two weeks. The six found a compartment and settled in for the trip back to school. Simple silencing wards were the first wards Hermione had learned in arithmancy.

They spoke of the holidays for a while. They had enjoyed the break from school with family. Several rounds of 'thank you' were bounced back and forth, for christmas gifts received, whether they liked the gift, or not. Hermione knew Ron liked to play chess, and she had bought him some board games she thought he might like. Ron and Neville had both taken to the games, as teenage boys have for years. Their favorite was a game called Risk. They set up a table between the seats. Ron, Neville, Luna, and Hermione played. Ginny made a sketch of the scene, and Harry read a book on the history of the bow and arrow, with chapters on design and flight characteristics.

Harry's mind drifted to the centaurs. He really hadn't had anything to do with them, but he had watched them from afar. They carried bows, and practiced quite a bit. Harry had watched their youth being trained. He wondered if he should talk to them. They had small fields of grain, a few orchards, and hunted for meat. Hagrid had mentioned them in passing, saying centaurs tended to isolate themselves from all others deep in the woods. They won't harm students, but they don't like people in what they consider their domain. Hagrid said they were immersed in astrology and divination, spending hours watching the sky. Harry had been at Hogwarts two and a half years, and had not tried to talk to them. He spent most of his time with the unicorns, which were very similar to kneazles in their ability to communicate emotionally and ... visually, if that is the proper word. The unicorns liked to run as much as Harry did, and they were fun to be around. Harry didn't feel threatened by centaurs, but he wasn't quite drawn to them, either. They were ... odd. They were denizens of the deep forest, and Harry thought it was time he make contact.

Xavier had given him a couple bows, with target arrows, and a couple targets. They were in magical cases that weren't much larger than broom cases. Most people would suspect that was what they were. As soon as it warmed up a bit, he would go deep into the Forest for target practice, not too far from where the centaurs taught their young ones. If they avoided him, that was that. He wanted them to approach him.

He had plenty to do in the mean time. There was quite a bit to do in the winter with Hagrid and Sirius. Getting livestock through the winter was always busy. Pomfrey had Harry busy as well. They were studying bones and joints this term. He could already heal a simple break. Joints were more complicated. Last term had been diagnostics and superficial injuries. Next year he would start internal organs. If everything went as he hoped, St. Mungos would accept him for training. He was sure that most of what he learned from Pomfrey would also work with other mammals, and even reptiles and birds. He wanted to be a healer, but he would not limit what he learned to people.

Ron and Neville were really getting into the game, as Harry's thoughts drifted to his favorite teacher. They had a decent start on what one could call innate, or internal, magic. The wandless magic some of the magical creatures could do was a good example, as was the wandless 'accidental magic' of human children. He was looking forward to testing his ability to control his weight while flying. Kaasaar had the deadliest of toxins, and skin that was nearly impervious to magic. Dragons had fire, reptillian skin similar to Kaasaar that made them resistant to magical attack, and the power of flight that had to have some similarities to pegasi and thestrals. Dragons were large and powerful. He would like to spend some time with them. It was easy to see why Hagrid was drawn to dragons.

Thestrals were practically invisible, strong, and could control their weight in flight, or on the ground. Harry suspected they made the carraiges lighter when they transported the students to the school. Unicorns had near perfect health, healed physical injury quickly, and were especially sensitive to the emotions of others. Harry was very familiar with kneazles, and there were a host of other magical animals to investigate, with their magic. The little niffler, for example, could find gold. How could it do that? Harry was sure he could enjoy working with McGonagall and Hagrid for years.

The Risk game took a while to finish. As soon as they were done, they ate some snacks, and played again. The game was better when everyone was familiar with it. It was a combination of strategy, luck, and good natured teasing. The trip was, otherwise, uneventful.

Harry jumped right into his spring term with both feet. Ginny asked him about it one night, while they were studying in the twin's hidden study. The twins were in full pranking fever, and quite distracted.

"Harry, why do you study so hard?" asked Ginny. "I don't think Percy drives himself harder than you, and he is so ambitious, he should have been in Slytherin, or at least Ravenclaw, with the way he attacks books. Don't you ever just want to have fun?"

"This is all fun," said Harry. "Maybe not Binn's history class, but I like being here. Most of what I do, I enjoy. I don't get bored. Is there something you would rather be doing?"

"I don't want to be sitting here writing this essay," said Ginny. "I would like to go out with you in the Forest, but it is too cold to be fun. Even if I was good at warming charms, there is the bloody dementors. I can't think of any place in the castle I want to go that we haven't been to. I don't have your fascination for school work. I want to do something ... different. I don't get anything out of pranking. Just ... something."

"So, you are saying you need a project?" asked Harry.

"Maybe," said Ginny. "I know your cat form is different from mine, well, all of us. You are stronger. You sense things that we can't. How do you do that?"

"I don't really know how I do it," said Harry. "I don't know how to describe the magic involved in being kneazle. I have been kneazle most of my life. I don't really think about it. I have been studying how magical creatures use their magic. We could see if you can learn kneazle traits. What would you like to be able to do?"

"Strength and speed would be nice," said Ginny. "I would like to be able to keep up with you in the Forest. The way kneazles talk to each other is brilliant too."

"I've been studying the magic thestrals use to fly," said Harry. "They control their weight by some sort of levitation magic. That let's me fly with a larger form, and it makes me faster on the ground. I have a new problem with being faster. It is much harder for me to change direction with my new speed. I can't chase properly, if I am lighter. It throws off my coordination. I need to not only make myself lighter, I also need to force myself in a particular direction if I am using what I call thestral magic, and I can't do that well yet. It takes a lot of practice. You know I have been working on wandless magic. This is a special application, similar in ways to the animagus transformation. You have to concentrate on your body to accomplish your goal. I can show you what I have been doing."

"Learning how to be an animagus took a lot longer that learning any of the charms and transfigurations here at school," said Ginny. "Will we have to do the same thing for each wandless spell?"

"Maybe," said Harry. "Wands make learning magic much easier. I know learning new spells has gotten easier over time in my regular classes. I hope the same thing holds true for wandless skills."

"Why don't more people learn wandless spells?" asked Ginny. "McGonagall is amazed she has six students, three of which already know the transformation. I would have never tried it, if it hadn't been for you and the book. Looking back, I am amazed I was successful."

"I have thought a lot about why more people don't try," said Harry. "Magic is more about intent and practice, than anything else, other than the necessary ability. Wandless magic takes too much time to learn, compared to a similar skill with a wand. Hermione became an animagus to defend herself from dementors. Luna did it to spend time with her friends, as did Ron and Neville. Ron continued it because it's different, and it's Gryffindorish, if that is a word. He will be lucky if he doesn't get hurt, as a cat. He is likely to either injure himself, or try to intimidate someone, who will turn their wand on him."

"McGonagall is a powerful and accomplished Transfiguration Master, with her wand," Harry continued, "but the only advantage she has over a house cat, is her intelligence. She is nearly powerless as a cat, in comparison. She is an animagus for entertainment reasons. Xavier is a warrior, and he explained to me how easily I could get hurt by an experienced wizard. Even the formidable dragon, with its mighty fire and resistance to magical attack, is susceptible to a single, trained wizard who wants it dead. My greatest strength, as an animagus, is anonymity and stealth. Few people know I am a cat. I came to Hogwarts for entertainment, strangely enough. What would you like to learn first?"

"I would like to be a stronger cat," said Ginny. "I want to be faster."

"I think you should first try to be a stronger girl," said Harry, " and it should carry over into your cat form."

"What do you mean, Harry?" asked Ginny. "I want to be a fast cat."

"This is physical magic," said Harry, "and you mainly change your shape, as an animagus. There are some odd differences, like how a dementor affects one form worse than the other, but you are still a physical body. There must be some subconscious changes when a person takes animal form. McGonagall said it is nearly impossible to become an animagus if a person doesn't have some physical contact with the form they want, to facilitate some of the fine points that are difficult to put into words. What the twins did with the potion was a stroke of genius. They became transfigured copies of their actual, final form, and learned tremendously from it. I would suggest you try physical movements that require more strength, and try to assist those movements with your magic. You will also naturally become stronger, with regular exercise. You should come running with me."

"It's too bloody cold to run," said Ginny. "There is snow on the ground."

"That is just another area to use your skills as a witch," said Harry. "There are warming charms to avoid hypothermia and frozen lungs. Look at what fire salamanders do. We can run at night as cats, in the castle. It is huge, when we are in cat form. Deep in the dungeons, I know there are some large rooms and tunnels. We can make a place to run down there."

"What can I do, without running?" asked Ginny. "I don't like to run, as much as you do."

"Pomfrey showed us some exercise equipment St. Mungos uses to help people recover from physical injuries. We can use something similar here. I will show you some pictures tomorrow."

The next day they went to the hospital wing, and looked at pictures of equipment that was available for muscular rehabilitation. There were weighted balls, weights with handles, and machines with spring cables in the catalog. There was clothing that was charmed to be heavy, and some charmed to be light. Harry ordered several items, and had the cost taken from his account at Gringotts. The equipment arrived the next day, and Harry took the equipment to the twin's lounge. Harry showed Ginny how to use it.

"Just using this equipment normally will make you stronger," explained Harry. "What I think you should be doing is concentrating on using your magic to assist your muscles, to power your muscles. You will know it is working when you can use higher settings. Strength is just the beginning. Next, you have to get comfortable with your new strength to be able to use it, or you will be a bit of a klutz."

"What do you mean, Harry?" asked Ginny.

"I can't move as well in larger forms as I can in my native kneazle form," said Harry. "It gets much worse when I try to make myself lighter. I need to learn a whole new way of moving, when I don't weigh so much. It changes everything. Metamorphmagi experience a similar problem with they are not in their natural form. One of the books I read in the infirmary for Madam Pomfrey said that teenage boys are known to trip over their own feet, when in a major growth spurt, as they get used to their longer legs. Everything takes practice, when making physical changes."

"What have I got myself into?" asked Ginny. "This is going to be a lot of work."

"Sure is," said Harry. "I doubt you will stop with just being stronger. Physical magic is fun. You might even like running, before it is over."

"Right, I will like running as much as you do," smirked Ginny, as she used the leg machine. "This is already getting old. I am supposed to concentrate on my magic assisting my muscles?" Ginny would sleep good tonight.

Ginny had two friends, in her short life. Harry stood out, in a strange way ... even for the wizarding world ... as a cat she had gotten close too, that turned out to be her story book hero. The story book hero was nothing like real life, and real life had blossomed into a secret friendship that was stranger than fiction.

Growing up, Luna and Ginny had had countless tea parties that included a fictional Harry Potter, dolls, stuffed toys, and wizarding characters like Merlin and the founders. Ginny had became a cat, as had Luna. Her friendship with Luna was, again, as odd as her friendship with Harry, with her nargles, snorkacks, and affinity with ghosts and denizens of the spirit world. Neither girl cared for make-up, clothes, or gossip ... which put them on the outs with most of their classmates ... no common hobbies. The only thing that kept Luna from taking top educational honors for her year was her comments on creatures ... that didn't even exist in mythology, and her professors would take points off of her essays for it. Luna would never be the teachers' favorite politically, and that kept her down in the bottom upper ten percent, with Ginny. Ginny just couldn't get excited enough about school work to get the extra credit to take top honors in her year either. They would never be the teacher's pet, but as a pair, there was little the two girls couldn't learn, if they wanted to.

They embraced the study of wandless, physical magic with nearly as much fervor as Harry. Luna joined Ginny in strength training, as they spent quite a bit of time together anyway. The exercise equipment started them on strength training, but it was dead boring. They put their strength training to work as cats, on their forays into the castle. Luna's friendships with the ghosts took them deep into other areas of the castle that Harry would likely never see, since Harry had stopped most of his exploration. He didn't have time for it.

Harry took his bows and arrows to the Chamber of Secrets. He practiced using the darts down there. He brought some wood in from the Forest for making his arrows. The books said it was generally easier to transfigure wood into stable arrows, than to make arrows from something else. Wood wasn't the only material to use for arrows, but it was strong, and relatively light. Magic could make some really good wooden arrows. It was possible to make the heads metalic, if a person wanted. Kaasaar was paying close attention.

"I haven't seen students making arrows in quite some time," said Kaasaar. "Those are quite small. Are you making crossbow bolts?"

"These will be dementor killers," replied Harry. "I am making the front section strong and porous. Would you mind giving me some venom for my project? I want to kill them without getting too close."

"I will give you venom," replied the snake. "You will need magic reinforced glass containers from an apothacary shop. You could probably get a few from the infirmary. I don't have to remind you to be careful with the venom. I will give you some of the antivenom, as well."

"How do I use antivenom?" asked Harry.

"Pour some in the wound," replied Kaasaar. "It won't repair damage, but it will stop the spread of the toxin. The antivenom is a useful antidote for most, if not all, venom in the world, whether from insects or animals. My venom has characteristics of them all. There aren't that many different types of venom."

"I am going to cast the bolts the same way I have been using those darts," said Harry. "I will just be using a magic hardened, wooden arrow. It is very similar to one of Xavier's target darts. It has good weight and flight characteristics."

"That is similar to an assassin's technique taught here to a couple apprentices, about five hundred years ago," said Kaasaar. "Very effective, when unexpected."

"Xavier gave me several books on archery," said Harry. "I have been studying trajectory and launching force. I should be able to toss these at least 200 yards, if I arc them high enough, and follow through until they hit. I just have to keep practicing for a while. The dementors have a reliable trail around the Hogwart's wards. They don't vary much at all. Xavier said they can only sense me about 100 yards. Dementors are blind. They won't know what hit them. I will only get one or two free runs at them. After that, they will be protected by aurors, most likely. Then the hunt might get ... interesting. I hope to be ready by full moon in April. With any luck, there might be a little snow on the ground. I can see a long way if there is snow."

Everyone in McGonagall's animagus club was able to make the transformation during the first week of February. There was fine tuning left, but overall mood in the class was great. Harry could sense that Ron wasn't as dedicated to the idea of making his form smaller. The Professor was able to get him motivated by announcing she had a classroom set up with obstacles, tunnels, and charmed toys to chase, when everyone was able to make final form. They would used their claws climbing, use their eyes in dimly lit conditions, and generally become acquainted with their cat forms. It would take them a while to get used to being four footed, if they wanted to get maximum entertainment value of their forms. She decided to lead them into a discussion concerning the advantages they would have, now that they were animagi.

"Now that all of you have made the transformation, what do you want to do with it?" asked McGonagall. "Hermione?"

"I wanted to learn, so I could defend against those ... dementors," said Hermione, "I hope I never get near them again. Actually, I think I will relax better in cat form, for some reason. I do want to spend time with Crookshanks, as well. I wish I could communicate better with him. Kneazles are known to communicate with each other, and while he is not fully kneazle, he seems to be very intelligent."

"I also find that I relax better, as a cat," said McGonagall. "Ron?"

"I think I would be an awesome fighter, in this form," said Ron. "I feel powerful."

"There is that, when push comes to shove," said Minerva, "but a wizard can make short work of you, when the element of surprise is over. Ron, I believe I have heard you want to be a keeper, when Wood graduates this year. Is this the case? Many of the physical attributes we learn as animagi carry over into human form. What can you say about the hand-eye coordination of a cat, with respect to the keeper position?"

"Bloody hell!" yelled Ron. "That would be awesome. What sort of toys did you say the room would have?"

"Oh, I think there might be something to practice hand-eye coordination," she replied. "That might give you some extra incentive to keep your abilities ... discreet. Neville?"

"I just joined to spend time with my friends," said Neville, "but I think I feel better about myself for doing this. I will always be happy I did."

"Neville, not only have you accomplished something that few wizards care to take the time to do," said McGonagall, "but your confidence level is likely to rise, as you become more familiar with your form. Cats are, first and foremost, predators. There is a lot about magic we don't understand, and one aspect of the animagus transformation stands out, from all others. Animagi pick up at least some of the personality traits of the species they transform into. Some … experts … think the personality traits must exist in the wizard, or the transformation is not possible. We do not know why this happens. This aspect of the transformation is just one of several reasons I was pleased you all decided to become cats. You will all probably develop a sense of independence and confidence. Cats can also be territorial and too curious for their own good."

"Why would anyone want to be a rat?" asked Neville.

"Every species has developed useful survival traits," said McGonagall, " and rodents have been around for thousands of years. Rats may not be appreciated for some of their abilities, even though Pettigrew may give credence to their negative image. They are social animals, persistant, and many are excellent at evading danger. They can squeeze through places one would think impossible to pass. They can swim through filled water pipes. Thankfully, most are not very intelligent and are easily distracted by food, for in the real world, they litter every 30 days. Most predators include them in their diet ... another negative association with them."

"I can't believe I had one as a pet," said Ron. "What was I thinking? Next time, I am getting an owl."

"They can make devoted pets," said Minerva. "Every species has unusual individuals."

"Professor," asked Ginny, "now that we have made the transformation, what else can we do?"

"We are magical, and magic knows few limits," said the professor. "It really depends on how much time you are willing to devote to the subject, and any natural affinity you have. Animagi have been my hobby for a long time, and I am learning new things, to this day. I can't think of any way to make a living as an animagus, but I will be active in the hobby as long as I live. The wizarding world limits itself, in its bigotry, and it regards non-humans with disdain, to our detriment. You will find the wizarding world tends to hold animagi in contempt, as less than human, for having the desire for the ability. Most people are not surprised that a Transfiguration Master has the ability, from a novelty standpoint, but wonder why a ... normal ... person would want to be an animal. I assure you, should you want to continue the study, you will find it personally rewarding. You might want to keep your ability to yourself and trusted friends. You will register with the ministry when you graduate, but you are not required to do more than register your form, and its distinguishing characteristics, when you take your transfiguration NEWT ... which I hope all of you will take. They really only require a photograph."

"What do I need to do, to be smaller?" asked Ron.

"You have done the difficult part," said Minerva. "Size is a continuation of the process that you ... internalize. I am pleased you all have been successful in the necessary transfiguration of clothing, and various other articles on your person. Not all animagi have found that to be as easy as you have. You all seem to have had ... compelling motivation. I expected your to observe proper decorum, you knew it, and I am proud of your accomplishment." She stood up, and made herself the size of an elf.

"You see," she said in a quieter voice, "the changing of your size is not limited to your animagus form. You ARE magical. This may be how giants entered the world, a very long time ago, when physical size was most important in combat. We don't know why giants appear to be so ... stupid. You really want to keep this quiet, but this is an offshoot of the animagus transformation we are using. Some people teach it is necessary to go to final form immediately, but this is not true. You know how giants are treated. I can think of no reason to want to draw attention to yourself. There is no good reason to want to make oneself larger, in this day and time. I show you this for ... educational purposes."

She returned to normal size, and said, "Now that you can make the transformation, I caution you to not abuse the ability." She looked at Hermione. "We know when you are out past curfew." Then she looked at Harry, "We know when you leave the grounds, animagus or not. Do not forget the dementors, vile things. Also, remember the Forbidden Forest is dangerous, if for no other reason, there is a large nest of acromantula there. I am Deputy Headmistress, and I am fully aware of the protections laid on the property. Curfew really is for your safety. I do not mind if animagi play in the halls, from time to time, after curfew, since it is a somewhat safer place to practice your forms. If you draw attention to yourself with this ability, I must come down on you hard, and I really do not want to do that. Please, be safe, and be careful. Enjoy yourselves. Your restriction to transform only in training is hereby lifted. Next week, we will go to the toy room."

Harry was practicing the darts later that night, in the Chamber, when Kaasaar returned from one of his trips.

"Kaasaar, how goes hunting?" asked Harry.

"Good, as always," replied the snake. "I was listening to your animagus training today. Your group has been mostly successful."

"Yeah, just some size modification, for Neville and Ron remains," said Harry. "McGonagall said the staff always knows when we violate curfew, or leave the grounds. Is this true?"

"That is true for most of the grounds and the castle," replied Kaasaar. "The Headmaster does not know about me, the Chamber, or my exit beneath the wards. There are no wards in the walls you and I travel in, and the house elves will not tell the staff, unless there is a threat. Salazar thought that no one other than I or the elves would travel the walls. Personal knowledge of me, and the Chamber, was lost long ago. The wards show me as a pet snake, if they show me at all. At this time, you are at an unknown location inside the castle, as you have not crossed any wards since you entered the castle. How did you enter the Chamber?"

"From Gryffindor Tower," replied Harry. "Through the loo."

"Then that is where you still are, according to every normal entry way," said Kaasaar. "They really don't check very often, nor do they have a need to. They watch the perimeter wards closely."

"Thanks for the information," said Harry. "I am going hunting for dementors in the spring, once I get good enough with these small arrows."

"That will cause some excitement," said Kaasaar. "What is your plan?"

"I am going to kill three or four on the south perimeter, and then run to your tunnel," said Harry. I will watch the excitement from inside the castle wards. I will be working in the sheep barns that night. Now I know to watch which doors I use. It will all depend upon how fast I can move. Sunday, I am going out to practice with the bow. Depending on how that goes, I will try the darts."

"That should draw the centaurs to you," said Kaasaar. "Not much goes on in the Forest, that they don't notice. They like their bows."

"Should I be worried?" asked Harry. "I had thought to talk to them sometime this term."

"They have a long standing arrangement with the school," said Kaasaar. "They will not assault a student who does not harm them. They are not generally friendly with outsiders. They do have limited contact with the Headmasters. They claim the Forest as their own, as do the Headmasters. I have never had to kill one. They are aware of me. They call me Spider Killer. They also kill spiders that stray too near their farms. They know how to use those bows, not that they could harm me easily. They will want to know your plans with the bow."

"Thanks for the information, Kaasaar," said Harry. "I could listen to you for hours. I must get ready for breakfast."

"You remain interesting, Harry," said the snake. "Until next time."

Ginny, Luna, and Harry used the pet entrances to the tower a few times, mainly because it was expected. Harry told them if they used the loo tunnels, they had to come back that way, because the pet entrances counted their usage of them. Luna spoke with her head of house about using the Ravenclaw pet tunnel, since Ravenclaw paid much closer attention to curfew than Gryffindor. The Slytherin rule was 'Don't Get Caught', and no one wanted to get on the wrong side of Snape. Hufflepuffs, by and large, obeyed curfew. Hermione and Crookshanks only went out in the castle on weekends, since she spent most of the rest of her free time studying, or reading. Everyone had to be careful to avoid students in their common rooms, since all of the pets were known. Stray cats would be noticed, and comments would be made.

The toy room was a lot of fun. Hermione brought Crookshanks with her. Harry and his friends weren't so old that they couldn't enjoy an obstacle, climbing, tunneling wonderland. The room would have been a hit at any county fair. Youngsters would have been carried out sleeping. There were balls on string, soft bludgers, snitches ... all manner of cat toys were there. Ron was particularly fond of a quaffle McGonagall had made that would make random runs at a small quidditch ring, if there was a talisman hanging from the ring. Ron and Neville were spending a lot of time on their animagus transformation, to the detriment of their normal studies, and had been able to reduce their size to about half of the final goal. Their friendship had become quite solid. The others didn't have any problem matching their size, for some of the wrestling they were doing, claws in, of course.

Sunday morning, Harry went down to the Chamber to get ready for his trip into the Forest for bow practice. He made his case hover a foot above the floor, and he pushed it through the tunnel ahead of him. Once out of the tunnel, he grabbed the handle and ran through the Forest. He didn't expect to see anyone, and he didn't. It didn't take too long to get to the meadow he wanted, at 20 miles an hour. He could maintain a two minute mile, if he had to. He set up his target, and started off at about 50 yards. By the time he worked back to 100 yards, the centaurs had joined him.

"Young wizard," said the nearest centaur. "Why do you bring weapons to the Forest? That is not your normal pattern."

"Please, call me Harry," said Harry. "I need a place to practice, away from eyes that ask too many questions."

"You may call me Firenze," said the first centaur. "Why, after two years, do you need to practice in secrecy?"

"I plan to hunt dementors in April, during the full moon," said Harry. "Twice they have attacked me. They will attack me again, at their first opportunity. I plan to drive them away, or destroy them all."

"We have watched you, Harry," said Firenze, "with great interest. The unicorns are your friends, and that is unusual in itself. You saved a young unicorn filly, at great risk to yourself. You killed the abomination that drank of her. You took a young child home, who had lost his way, and you ask nothing of his parents. You take the form of a great and mighty cat, and let the young maiden with red hair ride you. You destroyed two more abominations, with nothing but your hand weapon. You are most interesting, young Harry. Now you tell me you are hunting more abominations at the edge of our home. You have our blessing, young Harry."

"Thank you," said Harry. "I just recently found out you consider the Forest yours. I meant no disrespect."

"You have always come in peace and joy," said Firenze, "and we have no problem with that."

"When I start hunting, there won't be much peace in Hogsmeade," said Harry. "I expect a lot of ... very unhappy wizards. What will you say, when they come asking what you know?"

"Mars is bright, in the sky these nights," said Firenze. "You have our blessing Harry. You had it when you made friends with the unicorns. You sealed it, when you saved the young one's life. They will learn nothing from us, Harry."

"May I visit you, at some time in the future?" asked Harry. "I would like to know more of you, and yours."

"Yes, you may," said Firenze. "Come to this spot, and we will know. Bring the maiden, if you like. May we join you, while you practice?"

Harry was able to use intendo and rego, up to the range he wanted ... about 200 yards. Arrow ballistics are simple to use. A cross wind is the worst problem, without a spell like rego. The rest of archery is consistancy and repetition. Harry's archery spells took out the need for much skill. The centaurs weren't having trouble hitting the target at 200 yards either.

"You are shooting well, Harry," said Firenze. "How long have you been an archer?"

"I started a few weeks ago," replied Harry. "I am using a bit of magic to help guide the arrow. After I get comfortable using the guidance spells, I am going to launch the arrow with magic. I am going to be traveling light, when I hunt dementors. I won't have my bow case with me. You are quite good with your bow, as well."

"Centaurs have skill in divination," said Firenze. "We can sense where we need to position the bow to place the arrow where we want. Like all things, it takes a bit of practice."

"How long have you been in the Forest," asked Harry, as he began to launch his small practice arrows, without the bow. "They teach us little of you."

"We have been at this location for a very long time," said Firenze. "This is one of the safest places for us. The Forest has a few dangerous creatures, such as the acromantula, cats, bears, as well as a natural aura that is disquieting, for most humans. Very few non-magical humans venture this far in the Forest. We have lived alone for centuries. Humans only wanted us for our warriors, and we have little desire to be drawn into their conflicts. A few humans wanted us as ... fancy beasts of burden. We are not mules."

Harry was coming pretty close to the target with his magic launched bolts. He probably would have come close to the target without magic, using the bow. All he had to do was hit the dementor with the venom, and they were larger than the target. He had time to practice, to make his target date. The goal with the small arrows was Harry's desire to make the spells wordless and wandless. He could do the spells wordlessly ... vocal words are not essential in spell casting. Vocal words are more of a teaching tool, to support the students belief they were performing correctly. It also let the teacher assess the student's repeatability. Wandlessly was not possible yet. That was going to take a lot more dart work in the Chamber. A couple more long distance practice sessions, and he hoped his arrow work would be ready.

McGonagall's basic animagus lessons were finished by the end of February. Ron, Neville, and Hermione had accomplished what had taken Ginny a year and a half of consistant practice to do. Formal training with a Transfiguration Master familiar with the animagus transformation made all the difference. The moral support Harry, Ginny, and Luna provided them ... the teamwork ... was just as valuable. Hermione only knew about Harry's prior ability, and not Ginny's and Luna's. The animagus training bonded the six a bit closer than their study group did. They kept using the toy room, at least once a week, until end of term. It was too much fun to forego.

Full moon in April came quickly enough. It was warming up, and leaves had a good start on the trees. The Hogwarts wards were about a mile long, in circumference. The dementors encircled it, moving slowly, much like a carousel. Dementors were spaced about 100 yards apart, which gave their senses and their medalions a little overlap. This wasn't hunting, it was target practice. Harry would use his wand wordlessly, as he wasn't going to chance a miss. He picked three large trees to shoot from, with enough room in the branches to transform safely. He could shoot two from the first spot, move to the second location to shoot a third, and then see what happens. The Keepers had three shanties spaced around the wards. Harry would carry six bolts, and try for at least four dementors. He would fly back to the tunnel as fast as he could, leave the dorm through the pet tunnel, and visit the sheep barns. The sheep barns were the closest buildings to the wards, to watch the reactions of the dementors and seekers.

Harry was sitting in the first tree at 3:00 a.m. with his quiver of venom coated bolts. When he could see two dementors at the same time, he launched a bolt at the one walking away from him. A few seconds later it hit the dementor in the back. As soon as the first bolt hit, Harry launched the second one at the dementor following. The second one had stopped, aparantly undecided as to what to do. The bolt hit it in the chest. Harry immediately transformed, and flew to the second firing station. The dementors had reversed course, but he still had a good shot at two. He shot the leading dementor in the back, and once again, shot the second dementor in the chest. The third firing station wasn't too far from Kaasaar's tunnel. He had a shot at one dementor, and took it. The fifth dementor was rolling on the ground. He watched for a few seconds, and flew toward the tunnel. Moving as fast as he could, it took him twenty minutes to get to the loo in Gryffindor Tower. He changed into house cat form, and kept going, out the pet tunnel in the tower, out the pet tunnel near the front doors, and straight to the sheep barns.

Harry climbed into the loft, and looked out over the grounds. He could see where the first two dementors had been destroyed. There was still a red glow where they had burned. Aurors were walking around, waving their wands, and pointing occasionally. Harry would like to hear what they were saying, but he would not risk getting close enough. An immensely satisfied Harry Potter went down to check over the ewes and new born lambs. He was in no hurry, and he left the barns an hour later. It was 5:30, and Hagrid was usually up a 6:00. He made a wide swing past the chickens and hogs, tapped on Hagrids door, and walked on in. He was no stranger to Hagrid's in the morning, and Hagrid was sitting at the table nursing a cup of tea.

"Morning," said Harry. "I checked on the sheep, chickens, and hogs. No problems. Looks like there is a little excitement at the edge of the wards near the sheep."

"What's happening over there?" asked Hagrid.

"Don't know," said Harry. "A few aurors, but I didn't walk over. I thought you would want to know. I am going to swing by the thestrals on the way to the castle. See you later."

Harry spent half an hour with the thestrals. He wasn't as close to the thestrals as he was the unicorns, but they were growing on him. He had his favorites, among the herd. Anyone who works with animals for very long picks out a few that they have an affinity for. The one he helped Hagrid heal came over, and gave him a nudge. Animals tend to get used to their handlers, as well. This has happened since mankind domesticated wolves and cats. Domestication probably isn't the correct word. Mankind learned to cooperate with wolves and cats, for mutual benefit. Later, mankind domesticated food. Thestrals were not food. Thestrals had protection at Hogwarts, and warmth in the winter. Older thestrals teach the young ones to pull the carraiges. Hagrid explained they just need a little help getting buckled into the harness. The thestral drawn carraiges were as old as Hogwarts.

Harry went back to the dorm, and cleaned up a bit. He went down to the common room to wait for Ginny and Neville. Ron and Hermione were not early risers, so they left without them. Hermione studied late, and Ron needed a crow bar to help him get out of bed. They met Luna for breakfast.

They were eating breakfast when Hagrid and Sirius walked into the Great Hall with an auror. Dumbledore left with the auror, and Hagrid sat down to eat.

Kaasaar was waiting in the walls in Dumbledore's office. He knew Harry was attacking dementors, and he watched Harry run from his access tunnel across the Chamber. He knew the Headmaster would be visited, and that was one conversation Hogwarts Protector would listen to. Young Harry had gotten his attention with the troll, and the diary. He told Harry later, of course.

The Headmaster led the auror captain into his office. "May I offer you some breakfast, Captain Baker? Tea? Anything?" he asked.

"No, thank you," replied the auror. "This is not a social call. This morning five more dementors were destroyed, in fifteen minutes. None of the wards on the medallions registered anything. Nothing. Have your wards registered anything?"

Dumbledore got up, and walked over to a shelf filled with whirling trinkets. After looking at them for a few minutes, following a couple waves of his wand, he walked into a room adjacent to his office. After five minutes, he returned. "No one crossed the perimeter wards last night. No one has triggered the building wards, other than normal staff and student traffic. Can you give me any details of what has happened at the edge of our wards?"

"Five dementors were destroyed sequentially, two pairs, and a single, starting at 3:00 in the morning, and ending at 3:15. Normally, a medallion ward alerts a dementor, the dementor acquires a target, and we go arrest who ever set off the ward. Dementors are never destroyed. We didn't even think it was possible. Seven have been destroyed, assigned to sentry duty on the Hogwarts wards. The first two destroyed had someone, or something, near them, but we don't know anything about them. The last five had no information at all. We have no idea what spell kills dementors. With the first two, we had cat tracks and two sets of foot prints. This time we have nothing, and there is snow on the ground. Nothing."

"Nothing triggered on our wards, and we have had no reported problems," said Dumbledore. "If I learn of anything, I will contact DMLE. Thank you for letting me know."

"I've got to go file a report to my supervisor," said the captain, " and I have nothing of value. Thank you, Headmaster Dumbledore. I won't trouble you any further. I remember the way out, from my school days."

"Good day, Captain Baker," said Dumbledore.

Dumbledore drank his tea, deep in thought. He didn't want the dementors here, anyway. Now they were drawing attention to the school, and someone ... or something ... powerful enough to destroy them. He thought Harry was involved in the first two, since the animagus had crossed the wards just prior to their destruction. Harry and Ginny would also account for the foot prints. This time, however, Harry had not crossed the wards. In fact, he had left the dorm at about 3:30, and left the building shortly there after. Harry did this fairly often, since he started working with Hagrid in Advanced CoMC. Granted, the farm animals were not magical creatures, but there were in the duties of the Grounds Keeper. Harry was a diligent student, and kept out of trouble. Perhaps, Harry had nothing to do with the dementors, and something from the Forbidden Forest was killing dementors. This was deeply troubling. Idiot Fudge, dementors, and something killing dementors near his beloved school.

Dumbledore thought about questioning Harry and Ginny about the first incident, but he dismissed the idea, at this time. Few students knew about how the wards tracked student traffic, and virtually no one knew the Headmaster could lift surface thoughts from students ... and he wanted to keep them ignorant of both facts. Firstly, a little pushing of the rules was healthy, and he kept track of all such incidents. Secondly, if students knew he could lift surface thoughts, they would avoid him like the plague. His position of Headmaster was intimidating enough. Few people relished the idea of being called into the office of their Head of House, and no one wanted to be called to the Headmaster's office, when it concerned a matter of breaking rules. Headmasters do not summon students for tea and biscuits.

He would meet with his Heads of House immediately, singularly or in groups, and inform them of the destruction of the dementors. Either he, or his deputy, would inform the rest of the staff, as soon as it could be arranged. Minerva was close to her animagi students, and she would inform him of any peculiarities in that area. As his deputy, she watched the wards as close as he did. Further more, she was as protective of the students and the school as he was. The two Gryffindors were in safe hands.

There was another meeting with Fudge, Hamilton, the Warden of Azkaban, Smith, the keepers' Department Head, Bones, the aurors' Department Head, and Shacklebolt, the auror in charge of the forensic investigation. Fudge was not happy. He wanted Pettigrew.

"Tell me how we have lost ten percent of all of the dementors that exist," said Fudge, like they were an important commodity. From his viewpoint, maybe they were, since he considered them indestructible bloodhounds that persecute prisoners.

"We have no idea how they were destroyed," said Madam Bones, " and we don't know who, ... or what, did it either. Both attacks occured in the Forbidden Forest. Something as territorial as a dragon may be attacking them. We still don't know what that cat creature was. There were not any cat tracks this time. There were no tracks at all. Dementors have never been stationed at Hogwarts before, to our knowledge."

"I want to pull my people and the dementors out of there," said Smith. "We have seen no evidence of Pettigrew, and it is no secret the dementors are at Hogwarts. If Pettigrew saw them, he would turn around, and not come back. We are probably losing dementors to some beast."

"I want an auror flying between every two dementors," said Fudge. "If something attacks again, stop it. Hogwarts must be protected. Pettigrew is probably behind the attacks. He wants the dementors gone, so he can enter Hogwarts."

"Pettigrew's profile suggests his personality is much like the rat form he takes," said Bones. "I think he is hiding so deep, we will never see him again. As it is, he was accidentally discovered before. In my opinion, Pettigrew will never be seen again."

"We can't let him in Hogwarts," said Fudge. "Assign your aurors."

"As you wish, Minister," said Bones.

The group ran the Hogwarts halls on the weekends after their dorm mates went to sleep. They were able to sleep late in the morning to make up for it, if they felt like it. They stayed fairly busy, other wise. Pomfrey had Harry busy learning joints, with sprains, strains, and breaks. She could transfigure some pretty good fake broken arms and legs. Joints were much more complicated than bones. Harry's work for Hagrid was busy, but not complicated.

Ginny and Luna only went out into the halls on the weekend to practice using magic to enhance their muscular strength. They didn't want to stir the pot with Hermione, Neville, and especially Ron. Ron's ego was a bit fragile, and Neville's wasn't the strongest either. Ron and Neville were on cloud nine, and Ginny wanted to keep it that way. They were taking some pretty good jumps that may have been dangerous, if someone hadn't been standing by with a cushioning charm if they didn't make it. Harry went with them occasionally, when they were taking their jumps. The first time Hermione came upon them, she had a cow.

"That must have been eight feet up, and you were the size of a house cat," she exclaimed. "How did you do that? That's fifteen times your height."

"I am trying to learn physical magic," replied Ginny. "If magical creatures can do it, I should be able to also. I am magical, so I am practicing."

"How long have you been doing this?" asked Hermione. "What do you do?"

"I started using exercise equipment this term," said Ginny, "but that is dead boring. I can do the same thing by doing push-ups and sit-ups." Ginny did five perfect one-handed push-ups. Then, she did a hand stand, and did a few two-handed, verticle push-ups.

"Wow, Ginny!" exclaimed Hermione. "Just ... wow! I could be as fast as Crooks."

"Maybe even faster," said Ginny. "I can't wait until I get in the pond this summer. You know you are going to have to be careful around muggles, if you start this. Don't get too excited. You don't get much sleep now."

"What do you do?" asked Hermione.

"I sort of imagine myself stronger, imagine that my muscles are more powerful," said Ginny. "Getting the first bit of success is the hard part. Once you know how it feels, you can improve it. After that, I sort of made it part of me. I don't think about it any more. I just need to practice. After a while, I don't go much higher. The last few inches are difficult to improve on. It's like I would have to do something else to go higher."

"That makes sense," said Hermione. "There is probably a limit to how strong muscles can be, even with magic. There is also a difference in jumping for distance and jumping for height. Your house cat can stay in the air long enough for a glide pattern to start to develop when you make your long jumps. In grade school, I was in what they called an accelerated learning program. In science, I learned that force equals mass times acceleration. Work factors in the distance traveled. Time is a major factor, since gravity is a constant acceleration. Add air resistance and how your legs and torso catch the air, and you have hang time, so to speak. Some furry cats have been known to glide like flying squirrels, for a short distance. To jump much higher, magic would probably have to act on observed mass or the acceleration of gravity."

"What?" asked Ginny.

Hermione had to sit down. Her mind was a virtual tornado. "I only saw simple problems in archery and ballistics," she said, "but laws of motion affect everything that moves. Newton's three laws of motion. Conservation of momentum. The laws of mechanics. Aerodynamics. On long jumps, skiers catch the air. ...."

"What?" asked Harry. Hermione had his attention.

"Physics, Harry," said Hermione. "No matter how hard she jumps on her verticle jumps, once she leaves the ground, lifting force is over, and gravity is constant. Time doesn't really matter much, since she isn't in the air very long. On a long jump, how she catches air helps determing how far she can go. Have any of you studied physics? I can get some books for you. It's really simple, until you get into the math. I didn't quite get into the math before I started Hogwarts."

"What would happen if a creature could affect how much it weighs?" asked Harry.

"The creature would affect either mass, or gravity," said Hermione. "If the creature affected mass, then it would be able to change direction easily in motion, since inertia is mass times velocity. If the creature affected gravity, then the creature would not change direction easily, since mass is relatively high."

"What do you think the charm, wingardium leviosa, does, concerning these laws of motion?" asked Harry.

"It lifts an object, works against gravity," said Hermione, "Some people say gravity is an energy form, similar to light or magnetism. It is usually relatively constant, with the mass of an object. Magic is an energy form. Magic may bend gravity around the object, or it may directly act on the object, as buoyant force. I don't know much about how the charm works, yet. Adjusting it a little lets the object move around, where the caster wants."

"What do you think thestrals do, to be able to fly?" asked Harry. "Their wings are too small for their weight, for flight."

"Do they have a lot of momentum?" asked Hermione.

"What do you mean?" asked Harry.

"Is it difficult for them to change direction, once they get going?" asked Hermione.

"They make wide turns," said Harry.

"Then," said Hermione, "I would say they levitate, or push down on the force of gravity, and use their wings to move. Can they hang in the air, without moving their wings?"

That made sense to Harry. That was what he had experienced trying to fly in his larger cat form. "I have seen young ones hang in the air," said Harry. "They blow in the wind. They are fun to watch, actually."

"I would like to learn what you are doing, Ginny," said Hermione. "I really must run. Catch you later."

They had a lot more to talk about, and there just wasn't enough time in the day.

Harry went hunting dementors again three weeks later, same spot, same time. It was a bit darker this time, but Harry could still see, since the aurors had charmed lights following the dementors at night so they could see where they were. They made the perfect target. As soon as the first dementor caught fire, the auror rushed forward. He couldn't see anything at the site, since the fire made him night blind. The second dementor caught fire, and the auror never saw the small cat fly to the second station. He sounded the alarm, and the other aurors came rushing. Four more dementors caught fire, bringing the night's total to six, before Harry flew back to the tunnel. Harry was gone from the tower for a total of two hours, and no one missed him at 3:00 in the morning.

There was a third meeting with Fudge, Hamilton, the Warden of Azkaban, Smith, the keepers' Department Head, Bones, the aurors' Department Head, and Shacklebolt, the auror in charge of the forensic investigation. The Minister told them there would be results, or they would be replaced.

Hermione joined Ginny and Luna in an unused classroom, to discuss 'magical muscles'.

"What do you do, Ginny?" asked Hermione.

"It's more of an attitude, for me," said Ginny. "I'm strong, I can do it, here I go, ... that sort of thing. Once it started working, I just kept at that feeling, making it work better."

"Muggles have something called bio-feedback, that sounds like that," said Hermione. "They use it to affect pain, heart rate, skin temperature, meditative alpha and beta states ... what ever has they have the ability to measure. The person consciously tries to affect what ever condition he is striving for, until success is achieved. How did you get started, Ginny?"

"I wanted to be as fast as a cat I knew growing up," said Ginny. "My Great Aunt has kneazles, and I wanted to be that fast. I don't want him to be faster than me when I am a cat, and leave me behind. I guess I am ... competitive. There is no doubt I am stronger now than I used to be, even without magic. I can't wait until I go swimming. Underage magic detectors can't catch me using this magic, since the magic stays inside, where it nomally is."

"This is going to be a great summer project," said Hermione. "I can do it where ever we go. I can actually practice magic at home."

"Yeah, just don't end up the amazing wonder girl, and get noticed," said Ginny. "DMLE hates that. Muggle-born don't want to go there."

"What are you going to work on next?" asked Hermione. "I mean, can't stop now ... right?"

"Aunt Arabella's kneazles talk to each other," said Ginny. "I don't know how to start that project, but I would like to do that."

"Crookshanks does that," said Hermione, "even though he isn't fully kneazle. I agree. I want to do that also. I want to talk to Crooks. Right Crooks? I know you understand me." Crookshanks was watching Hermione intently, and he nodded his head up and down. A shiver ran down Hermione's spine, in excitement.

Ginny and Luna were doing some really odd yoga exercises. The yoga let them test the strength in some of their muscles, as well as giving them a good stretch. Ginny was on her fingertips, with her fingers splayed like a spider's legs. She didn't stay that way long, she was always in slow motion.

"When did you start the yoga?" asked Hermione.

"Luna found this," said Ginny. "The library has about anything one cares to look for. The dangerous stuff is restricted."

"Luna and you go way back, don't you?" asked Hermione.

"Yeah, we've been friends since we were young. We don't live far from each other," said Luna. "Closer than Harry lives."

"Have you known Harry that long?" asked Hermione.

"Not really," said Luna. "You would think so, but it didn't happen. Cedric Diggory doesn't live to far away either, and I don't know him at all, except to recognize him when I pass. You should visit Ginny and I during the holidays. Father and I live alone, and our house is huge."

"I'd like that," said Hermione, as she was struggling with a push-up. "I am going to be sore in the morning."

"I remember that," said Ginny laughing. "It only gets worse."

Harry picked three new spots, and went hunting five days later at 1:00 in the afternoon. He was getting quite good with his small arrows, but he still didn't dare do the job wandlessly. Harry wasn't that good yet, and he wanted his targets ... exterminated. He left the Great Hall after lunch, and visited the loo on the ground floor. No one else was in there, so he entered the water closet, transformed, and made his way quickly to his firing station. He shot the dementor trailing the auror. As the auror turned around, Harry shot the leading dementor. He dropped down the back side of the tree, flew down a ravine. He flew three hundred yards to the next tree. This auror was up above the trees trying to watch both dementors. He didn't see the small silent bolts that started his assigned charges on fire. Harry didn't move again. He became a small cat without the wings, and he crawled into a hole in the tree to watch what happened. This auror was angry. Very angry. The auror was using his broom much like a seeker, and he wasn't finding anything. After the auror started flying larger and larger patterns, Harry climbed down the tree. He made a slow circle in the general direction of the tunnel, hunting for small prey along the way. If someone saw him, he was just a cat out hunting in the woods. It didn't take him long to find a small ground squirrel. He continued the slow circle, carrying the dead squirrel with him. He ate it on the ridge overlooking the tunnel, and climbed down. He had the habit of leaving the tunnels the same place he entered, so the wards would be consistant. There was no reason to draw unnecessary attention to himself.

Minerva was just going to ask Harry a question about their ongoing project. She saw him enter the loo, and thought he would be out directly. After fifteen minutes, she asked a young Hufflepuff second-year to check the loo, to see if Harry was alright. The young 'puff came out, and said no one was in there. Minerva thanked him, and he went on his way. She transformed, and laid down in an alcove by a suit of armor. If she was going to wait, she may as well be comfortable. A couple hours later, just as she was about to give it up, Harry came out of the loo.

Harry caught the motion as she stood up, and started walking. She transformed as she walked, making it look ridiculously easy. No one else was in the hallway.

"Harry, might I have a word with you?" asked Minerva. "I was going to ask your opinion concerning animagus magic. I saw you go in the loo over two hours ago. Do you have time to discuss this in my office?"

"Yes Ma'am," replied Harry. Harry considered the idea, as he walked, that night time was a better time for dementor hunting.

They entered her office, and she closed the door. "Harry," she began, "I was going to discuss what goes through your mind as you change your weight. Recently, I have had a measure of success in control, and it seems that I can almost ... flex ... the weight change. Then you disappeared in the loo. For over two hours. I happen to know that you, and young Ginny, crossed the wards last term just before two dementors caught fire, and disappeared."

"They attacked us," said Harry. "I couldn't shake them. They were starting to circle, tighter and tighter. More were coming. I ... stabbed them. I sense nothing ... alive ... in them."

"I ... see," said Minerva. "Will I hear news of more dementors being destroyed today?"

"Perhaps," said Harry. "Four of them."

"I have no desire for the vile creatures to exist, myself," said Minerva, "but it might be a good idea for dementors to stop disappearing for a while. The Ministry is getting most agitated, and they are apt to get more creative in their efforts to discover why they are burning up. I really don't care to know why, myself."

"The dementors might have a period of amazing health," said Harry.

"I think that amazing health would be good for them," said Minerva. "Harry, please be careful. I would like to offer an apprenticeship to you, at the completion of your schooling. You have to be in good health to do that. Is there any particular danger involved, in your travels?"

"No, not really," replied Harry. "I speak to Kob, the house elf, from time to time, where I go. It's really just the piping tunnels that run through the castle. ('And the tunnel under the wards', he thought) Kob regularly works in them. If you ever need me quickly, and I don't seem to be around, Kob might be able to help."

"Thank you for telling me that," said Minerva. "I sure you had other plans for this afternoon, besides sitting around talking to me."

"Any time, Professor," said Harry smiling, standing up and walking toward the door. "As for your question, I imagine power floating in the air ... sort of. I used to think of the levitation charm. I am not sure it matters what the visualization is ... as long as it works. It would be interesting, being your apprentice. If I am in good health at the completion of my schooling, I would welcome an offer. Transfiguration is useful in healing. You should see some of the stuff Madam Pomfrey does, in training." Harry closed the door behind him.

"Kob, the house elf, please," said McGonagall, snapping her fingers.

The elf appeared before her. "Yes Ma'am," said Kob.

"It is my understanding that you see Harry Potter, from time to time," she said, "while you work on the castle plumbing. Is this correct?"

"Yes Ma'am," said Kob. "I see Harry Potter frequently, when I work."

"Is this place where you work safe?" asked McGonagall.

"Yes Ma'am," said Kob. "There are very few verticle runs of piping, and Harry Potter takes the form of a cat. Normally, a student would not be able to walk the piping tunnels. The tunnels are safe for him." He didn't mention the protector. The tunnels were the protector's territory. The elves liked this witch, and she had been at Hogwarts longer than most, even though it was a relatively short time, in comparison to Kob.

"Thank you for your information, Kob," said McGonagall. "You may continue what you were doing."

"Thank you, Ma'am," said Kob, and he disappeared.

Minerva floated over a cup of tea. 'I have been here a long time,' she though to herself, ' and I am still learning new things about this old castle. I may have to do some exploring.'

Auror Captain Baker was a little excited. The keepers had just received equipment to help identify what was causing dementors to burn. Were they being attacked? Were they ill? Was this their natural end of life? He didn't think the latter was the case. Intuition told him they were being attacked, but they hadn't seen evidence of it. They were placing detectors on all dementors as they came past the ckeckpoint. No one cared about dementors, but it was embarrassing that they were being destroyed on his watch.

A young auror ran up to the Captain, and handed him a parchment. The Captain quickly read it, and sighed unhappily. 'Well,' he thought, 'it all pays the same. It figures we're leaving now, since it is pretty in Scotland this time of year.' He snapped out a couple quick commands, "Pack it up, we are pulling out. Pettigrew was captured in Paris. That's where we're going. Randolph, good work with those wards for your cousin." The Captain read the note again, and thought to himself. 'He tripped a Pettigrew ward in a restaurant, of all places.'

The keepers had the similar orders, and they were very happy to be leaving. They were not going to France.

A short while earlier, there had been a meeting with Fudge, Hamilton, the Warden of Azkaban, Smith, the keepers' Department Head, Bones, the aurors' Department Head, and Shacklebolt, the auror in charge of the forensic investigation. Fudge was disgruntled.

"What do we know about Pettigrew?" said Fudge, a little too loud. "Bones?"

"Pettigrew was picked up in Paris," replied Bones. "Randolph, one of the department's warders, has a cousin in Paris that wanted some wards on his restaurant. Randolph just laid down his standard package. He was on his own time. Pettigrew wasn't in custody very long. He answered a few questions, and broke down, putting up no resistance. Before they were able to transport him, he surprised them, and bolted. The young auror didn't even place animagus restraints on him. Pettigrew told them he has been in France since he left Azkaban. It seems he has no desire to be on British soil. He was living as a rat, eating from rubbish cans. He apparently prefers to live as a rat."

"Can I pull my crew out of Hogwarts?" asked Smith. "Overtime is killing my budget."

"Don't you want to wait to find out what got your dementors?" asked Fudge.

"What's the point?" asked Smith. "I might lose more of the animals while we investigate. I still have more than I need for normal operations now. The most we stand to gain is knowledge of how to destroy them. What is the sentence for destruction of ministry property? Three years?"

"Assuming this is an attack," began Bones, "one thing stands out. Aurors and keepers have not been attacked. This would seem to be someone who has a grudge against dementors, and that would be nearly everyone who has been under their ... influence. If Pettigrew is off British soil, I would pull them out of Hogwarts. Next time dementor crews are assigned outside of Ministry property, we send them with the detection packages we just sent to the keepers. We do business as usual, and stay alert."

"Smith, recall your crews," said Fudge. "Bones, contact French DMLE, and see if we can send investigators into France to pursue leads on Pettigrew. I want him in custody."

"Yes, Minister," said Bones.

"Maggie," yelled Fudge, standing up. "I am going to my next appointment. I should be back by 2:00." They all followed the Minister out.

Pettigrew was riding the rails again, heading for Eastern Europe. His dead Master had a couple places he could hide at. He should have gone there as soon as he escaped from Azkaban. French Aurors caught him! The British Ministry would execute him, and he couldn't go back there. He had to hide. He would hide good this time.

Dumbledore was vexed. He heard what happened to Pettigrew in Paris. Thankfully, that made the Ministry pull the dementors. One of the school's divination students had heard a prophecy concerning the Dark Lord, from Trelawny, the same day Pettigrew left Paris. It made the Divination Professor quite pleased with herself. Dumbledore was worried again.

Most of the rest of the term was spent on term papers and cramming for exams. The six kept distractions light. As soon as the dementors were gone though, Ginny found Harry and asked if he had time to run in the Forest. She just couldn't spend all her time studying, and she loved to ride. She also wanted to try out her strength in the Forest, and she would NOT go without Harry. She wouldn't go to the Forest with Luna, or all the ghosts in Hogwarts. She felt safe, with Harry.

Two cats headed out across the grounds on Sunday afternoon. Soon they were a streak of color flashing through the Forest, Ginny's red hair trailing in the wind, Harry's legs pumping. He didn't need to worry about Ginny falling off, no matter how wide a jump he made, and he made a couple beauties. The twelve year old girl couldn't get the grin off her face. Riding now was absolutely effortless. They found the unicorns, and Ginny transformed into the large cat. She was able to keep up! After a while, they went playing in the rocks. Ginny was very happy. When she walked back on to the grounds, she knew she had a good work out, but she wasn't exhausted. Ginny thought she had accomplished quite a bit this term. She might even say she liked running. Almost.

Once exams were over, they wound down. It was warm. The cats all went out to play. And play they did. No one paid any attention to seven cats on the grounds, even though their behavior was a bit odd.

The end of term feast was uneventful for Harry. Gryffindor won the Quidditch Cup. Whoopty-do, he thought, but McGonagall was pleased. Slytherin won the House Cup, no surprise. Harry knew the pattern with the professors, and their quirky inconsistancies. The point system meant nothing to him. Harry had what he came for ... more magical training. Harry had training scheduled with Xavier for the summer, and two different long weekends scheduled with Professor McGonagall. If he was lucky, he would never see dementors again. Not that it mattered. They probably wouldn't live long, if he did.